Survey

Business environment as seen by Small and Medium Enterprises

Last May, the Project presented its second survey “Business environment in Tajikistan as seen by of Small and Medium Enterprises, 2006”. (Click to read more...) The results of the survey were also presented at the international workshop "Improving Investment Climate in Tajikistan: From Strategy to Implementation," organized by the World Bank. The report is a follow-up to the first survey conducted in 2003.

The IFC SME Survey analyzes the current situation of a sample of more than 2,500 respondents among small and medium companies, individual entrepreneurs, and dehkan farmers. In addition to the economic outlook of the sector, the survey critically analyzes a number of administrative procedures that entrepreneurs faces in starting up or running their business (i.e. licensing, inspections, taxation).

The survey report shows that Tajikistan business environment has recently gone through years of overall improvement, due to major reforms in the regulation of SME sector, which affected business registration, access to finance, licensing and inspection.

However, necessary steps need to be taken to foster Private Sector Development: Tajikistan needs to extend reforms to other areas, such as permits, and implement the new inspection and licensing regulations. Simplification of the taxation system, streamlining of trade procedures, and unification of technical standards are only few examples of what Tajikistan needs to foster the growth of the SME Sector. Unofficial solutions are another major issue identified in the administrative procedures (see also UNDP Report on Informal economy in Tajikistan) which will need to bee tackled with the maximum urgency.

The IFC SME Survey provides 45 specific recommendations on issues in the different areas, estimating also their impact on entrepreneurs, government, and institutions.

The complete sets of results of the IFC SME surveys in Tajikistan are available to download (SME Survey 2006, SME Survey 2003).

Doing Business

The Project is collaborating with the "Doing Business", a joint project of IFC and World Bank assessing regulatory environment in more than 150 countries around the world. In particular, project coordinates the collection of the data for "Doing Business 2009" report in Tajikistan. In addition project is closely involved in first time regional study "Central Asia Doing Business 2008". The study is to be finalized and presented in capitals of four Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) by mid of 2008. Main goal of this study to assess the administrative procedures, identify areas of improvement and enable experience exchange among countries of the region. Find more information on Doing Business survey...