A workshop will be held this week to promote the concept of the virtual one-stop-shop (VOSS) among government bodies and private sector organisations. 

The January 24-25 sensitisation workshop at the Constance Ephelia Resort at Port Launay is being organised by the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB) jointly with the Comesa Regional Investment Agency and with the support of the ACP Business Climate Facility (BizClim).

It is expected that about 60 delegates comprising investment authority practitioners from the Comesa and SADC regions, successful virtual one-stop-shop implementers, government regulatory bodies, private sector representatives as well as international development partners will attend the sensitisation workshop entitled “Preparations for the set-up of a virtual one-stop-shop, connecting all the business regulatory authorities in Seychelles”.

The World Bank 2011 Doing Business Report ranks Seychelles 95 out of 183 countries, highlighting the need to further improve some of the country’s business regulatory processes to address other existing bottlenecks.

In this context, it is the view of the government of Seychelles that a VOSS could easily connect all the business regulatory authorities in Seychelles by harmonising, and making smoother and easier regulatory procedures for businesses and investors. 

BizClim has financed the preparations for the set-up of the VOSS to the tune of 190,100 euros (equivalent to R3,421,800). In this regard, since October 2011, a team of consultants assisting the government of Seychelles has been studying all the business regulatory authorities, their procedures, functions and the current information management systems being used by each of them. 
 
The team has also designed a project form and online investor one-stop-shop system specifications based on their findings.

The team advised and recommended on the type of information which should to be digitalised and fed into the system, and advised on the adjustments that may be required in the processes of the various regulatory agencies to make the system effective and efficient while maintaining the principles which those organisations stand for.  The outcome of the team’s technical assistance will be presented and discussed at the sensitisation workshop. 
 
At the sensitisation workshop, a roadmap outlining the steps to be followed in order to implement the one-stop-shop in practice will be presented for discussion and adoption.

Through training, the workshop foresees increased awareness of the key people from the relevant government and private sector bodies about virtual one-stop-shop systems.

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