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Sub-Saharan Africa



Stable macroeconomic performance and the end of much civil strife have heightened the interest of both local and international investors in Africa. Political leaders are increasingly aware of the importance of the investment climate and the value of the Doing Business rankings in measuring improvements of importance to investors. As a result, an increasing number of African countries are asking FIAS to determine the specific country-level policy reforms necessary to improve their performance in Doing Business, attract investment, and generate growth.

The FIAS Africa program is focusing its efforts in four technical areas:

  • Implementing integrated, multi-element investment climate reform programs
  • Outlining and implementing reform agendas using the technical expertise of the Doing Business Reform Advisory team
  • Stimulating reform momentum in conflict-affected countries by establishing public-private dialogue
  • Opening discussions with the OHADA secretariat to discuss the possibility of reform to the 16-country commercial legislation.
FIAS provides targeted assistance through short-term technical input, medium-term work to support policy reform, and long-term, multi-year programming to address larger investment climate issues.

Examples of our work

In Burkina Faso, the Doing Business Reform Advisory and IFC Business Advisory Services teams have been implementing a successful multi-component investment climate program. In 2008, the government eliminated filing fees for the registration of articles of association and minutes of founding meetings, reduced the cost of construction licensing by 50 percent, cut the waiting time for property registration by 45 days, lowered the real property tax from 11 to 9 percent, adopted a more flexible labor code, eliminated a tax for contract enforcement, and reduced the corporate income tax from 35 to 30 percent.

FIAS continued to expand into frontier countries in the region, with particular attention paid to conflict-affected countries. FIAS has active projects in eight conflict affected countries (the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda).

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, FIAS began work on an integrated program encompassing Doing Business reforms, investment promotion, tax incentives, and SEZs.

In Liberia, FIAS began supporting the government in its efforts to rebuild the private sector with the launch of the Liberia Investment Climate Reform Program, a demand-driven, multi-year program designed to generate sustained momentum for business reform. FIAS assistance in 2008 consisted of a rapid assessment followed by implementation of comprehensive reforms. FIAS helped the government streamline business start-up procedures, reduce trade barriers through improved port processes, train investment promotion officers, and develop a transparent agricultural concession policy. FIAS' Africa and Doing Business Reform Advisory teams assisted the government in developing standard forms and procedures for business registration and building construction.

In Niger, the government streamlined the business registration process that halved registration costs, and significantly reduced the costs of property registration.

In Nigeria, FIAS is collaborating with the government to foster investment and growth in non-oil sectors of the economy. Steering committees for local business climate reform in four Nigerian states adopted FIAS' recommendations and developed action plans supported by state government budgets. FIAS also completed a subnational Doing Business in Nigeria report comparing local business climates across the country. In addition, FIAS began a pilot program to implement a single tax identification number across a number of states and completed a study benchmarking investment taxes.

In Rwanda, FIAS helped the government design and implement fast-acting, measurable reforms that lower the time and cost of doing business for Rwandan firms. FIAS is supporting government efforts to streamline business licensing and regulation, expand global trade, and foster private sector investment.

In Sierra Leone, FIAS advised on the reform of foreign national land ownership legislation. Sierra Leone is one of the first countries in Africa to introduce such progressive legislation.

In Sudan, FIAS worked with the government to launch the multi-year Administrative Barriers Reform Program, which is stimulating reforms in business registration, property rights, business licensing, tax, and customs administration. Specific reforms in Northern Sudan included the adoption of long-term strategic plans by both the Tax Chamber and the Customs Authority, the development of plans to streamline and computerize the Tax Chamber, and the completion of a strategic plan for value-added tax. FIAS assisted the Southern Sudanese Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development in drafting ten bills to improve the business climate, four of which have been enacted. The enacted legislation creates a foundation for the registration of businesses, especially small and micro enterprises, and the establishment of an investment promotion agency for Southern Sudan.

In Mozambique, FIAS is facilitating quality investment into the tourism sector by assisting the government in legally securing, packaging, and marketing locations to the international investment community.

Past Projects:
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