Enabling Environment for Sustainable Entreprises in Central African Republic

In 2018-2019 the ILO has implemented an EESE programme in Central African Republic, following the request from the two national employers’ organizations UNPC and GICA. The first step in the process has been the evaluation of the country’s enabling environment, taking account the specific context of fragility and post-conflict recovery.

The assessment consisted in a survey involving 360 business owners and their workers, and targeted small, medium, and large enterprises. In fact, the survey methodology was adapted to the specificities of CAR’s fragile context, and thus featured a specific questionnaire for Multinational Enterprises, which play a fundamental role in the country’s economy, due to the disappearance of small enterprises as a result of the protracted armed conflicts.

The EESE assessment focused on the following key areas: peace and political stability, social dialogue, respect of human rights and international labour standards, trade and sustainable regional integration, enabling legal and regulatory environment, access to financial services, physical infrastructure, entrepreneurial culture, education training and lifelong learning. The assessment was finalized in early 2020, and it will be the basis for an actional planning process involving the government, employers’, and workers’ organizations. Although action planning was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of the assessment remain valid and the process will start in late 2020.