Support Program for Economic and Enterprise Development (SPEED) is a USAID project that improved the business environment through better trade and investment policies. SPEED’s goal was to have more companies doing more business, resulting in increased trade and investment and a stronger competitive position for Mozambican firms, thus creating local opportunities for jobs and income growth.
The project focused on reforming trade and investment policies and also emphasizing the policy implementation process, including monitoring implementation of reforms. SPEED’s work also focused on increasing transparency around the legal framework for obtaining land use rights in Mozambique. The SPEED team delivered training and technical assistance that built the capacity of business associations and corresponding government institutions and catalyzed trade and investment in Mozambique.
Objectives
- Reduce the cost of doing business
- Enhance Mozambique’s competitiveness
- Create local opportunities for job and income growth
- Improve the business environment in trade and investment
Outcomes
- The recommendations and reforms at the municipal level in Maputo promise to save businesses more than 200 days to obtain their construction permits, with an estimated total savings to the private sector of nearly $25 million per year.
- The development of a legal framework that would formalize public participation in the policy process and support to the Mozambique Institute of Directors (IOD) to develop a corporate code of ethics.
- Supported more than 30 capacity-building events in support of its technical programs, with a total of around 1,700 participants, including around 326 women.