All Publications: Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan

Mar 15, 2023

Smarter Systems: How tweaking your diligence process can unlock overlooked opportunities

This toolkit, developed by Village Capital in partnership with IFC, the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), and academic research partners Amisha Miller and Saurabh Lall, includes two action-oriented implementation guides — one for individual and institutional investors and one for incubator and accelerator leaders.

Feb 16, 2023

Study on social norms hindering financial inclusion and financial capability of consumers in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan

Social norms – the informal rules that influence how people behave and expect others to behave – can play a significant role in driving financial decisions, including how, where, and what people save for. The effect that social norms have on the financial inclusion of specific target populations is an emerging field of research whose importance is becoming increasingly recognized, but which has not been systematically analyzed or incorporated into financial inclusion programming. This study aims to address this knowledge gap, by providing deep, actionable insights into savings and financial planning behaviors. It diagnoses the factors driving women’s and youth’s savings and financial planning behaviors, including the extent to which social norms influence their decision and ability to save formally and more productively, as well as why, and how they are enforced.

English | 140 pages | 2022 IFC

Nov 26, 2022

Market Bite Iraq: Economic Recovery Creates Opportunity to Invest in Small and Medium Businesses

This report shares the results of an IFC survey of 827 SMEs in Iraq, focusing on the financial health and access to finance for SMEs.

Oct 24, 2022

Bridging the Gap in the Arab States: Emerging Private Sector Response and Recovery Measures for Gender Equality amid COVID-19

This regional report aims to inform companies in the Arab region and around the world on practices and initiatives for supporting women leaders, employees, entrepreneurs and those in value chains to navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

39 pages | © October 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Sep 30, 2022

Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women’s Markets for Financial Services in Kyrgyzstan

This report is based on findings from the Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women Markets for Financial Services in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan that was conducted to understand a range of women’s needs in financial and non-financial services and untapped commercial opportunity for financial institutions.

English | 58 pages | 2022 IFC

Sep 30, 2022

Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women’s Markets for Financial Services in Tajikistan

This report is based on findings from the Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women Markets for Financial Services in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan that was conducted to understand a range of women’s needs in financial and non-financial services and untapped commercial opportunity for financial institutions.

English | 62 pages | 2022 IFC

Sep 30, 2022

Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women’s Markets for Financial Services in Uzbekistan

This report is based on findings from the Market Research to Assess the Business Opportunity of Women Markets for Financial Services in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan that was conducted to understand a range of women’s needs in financial and non-financial services and untapped commercial opportunity for financial institutions.

English | 58 pages | 2022 IFC

Jun 22, 2022

Türkiye - Country Climate and Development Report

The Turkiye Country Climate and Development Report explores how climate action, in line with the country’s mitigation goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2053 as well as its adaptation and resilience needs, interact with its growth and development path and contribute to achieving the country’s development objectives.

English | 78pages | 2022 WBG

Jun 10, 2022

Diagnostic Assessment Report: Non-Performing Loan Market Assessment in Pakistan

Pakistan has a nascent distressed assets market with moderate NPL volumes. Implementing suggested reforms in this sector is necessary to reduce pricing gap between potential sellers and buyers which would help attract domestic and foreign investors.

May 13, 2022

She Matters: Women in Kazakhstan Corporate Leadership

This study examines 77% of all joint-stock companies in Kazakhstan, determining a clear correlation between gender diversity and financial and non-financial performance.

86 pages | © May 2022 IFC | Complimentary 86 pages | © May 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Apr 6, 2022

Market Bite: West Bank and Gaza - Opportunities in an Evolving Digital Financial Services Ecosystem

Opportunities in an Evolving Digital Financial Services Ecosystem

English | 13 pages | 2022 IFC

Nov 16, 2021

Creating Markets in Jordan: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Jordan Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints, & policy recommendations.

English | Vol.1 Main Report - 95 pages | Vol. 2 Sector Assessments - 94 pages | 2021 IFC

Oct 25, 2021

Building Resilience Through Digital Financial Services

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the important role digital financial services (DFS) can play in reducing disruptions to supply chains, maintaining economic activity, supporting social transfers and ensuring safe transactions while maintaining social distancing. In these challenging times, IFC’s DFS advisory has worked with clients to build resilience and capacity through the Covid-19 crisis while designing, building and developing innovative business models for financial inclusion. This DFS market research series endeavors to share the insights gathered through this work.

Sep 20, 2021

Pakistan Housing Finance

IFC’s latest study assesses the potential market and segmentation for housing finance needs in Pakistan. The study also demonstrates and quantifies the business case for Financial Institutions (FIs) to expand into housing finance across different income and geographic segments.

Jul 8, 2021

Navigating through COVID-19: Country snapshots on how the pandemic affected MSMEs in the Middle East and Africa

These country snapshots look at the state of business operations in countries across the Middle East and Africa and how businesses are navigating the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The notes look at three main areas: The financial health and resilience of the MSME sector in the country, the crisis response and future plans of businesses, and MSME support needed from governments and financial institutions.

Jun 30, 2021

Strategy for Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Jhelum Poonch River Basin Pakistan

The strategy for sustainable hydropower development described in this document aims to balance conservation and development as well as minimize the negative environmental and social impacts of hydropower projects in the basin.

334 pages | © June 2021 IFC | Complimentary

Jun 21, 2021

Barriers and Opportunities for Refugee Women to Engage in the Digital Economy

The digital economy 1 can offer a new and promising path forward for people seeking employment across the globe. Online platforms are altering the future of work, reducing barriers to entry and blurring the distinction between formal and informal labor.

English | 75 pages | 2021 IFC

May 26, 2021

Creating Markets in Kyrgyz Republic: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Kyrgyz Republic Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) provides IFC & World Bank analysis of growth and investment opportunities, constraints, & policy recommendations for private sector development in the country

English - 114 pages | Russian - 120 pages | 2021 IFC

May 26, 2021

Creating Markets in Pakistan: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

IFC & World Bank Pakistan Country Private Sector Diagnostic analyzes private sector development constraints; outlines reforms to attract investments and support growth.

English | 84 pages | 2021 IFC

Feb 3, 2021

Kyrgyz Republic - Inspection Reform Case Study

The paper examines different stages of inspection reforms that took place in the Kyrgyz Republic over a 13-year period (2006-2019) with the goal of informing and assisting policymakers, experts, and government officials undertaking or wishing to undertake similar efforts elsewhere. By providing detailed explanations of measures taken, milestones reached, and lessons learned, the authors hope to reveal the complexities of the reform process, lay out different policy options for inspection reform, and detail the implications of various approaches.

English | 36 pages | 2021 IFC

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Asyaport, Infrastructure, Turkiye

The case study explores how the company has taken action to promote equal opportunities and highlights the the implementation of the company’s Environmental and Social Action Plan.

7 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Nov 7, 2020

Enhancing Financial Capability and Inclusion in Uzbekistan: A Demand-Side Assessment

IFC has conducted a financial capability and inclusion survey in Uzbekistan in 2020. This report provides key findings of the survey and recommendations across three main areas: (1) financial inclusion, (2) financial capability, and (3) financial consumer protection. The other sections of the report provides a detailed overview of the results of the financial capability survey, summarizes key findings of the report (executive summary), introduces the methodology of the survey in chapter one, and focuses on the overall level of financial inclusion in Uzbekistan in chapter two. Chapter three is an overview of the levels of financial capability in Uzbekistan, specifically financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of respondents. Chapter four explores the relationship between financial inclusion and financial capability. The final chapter looks into financial consumer protection practices in the country.

English | 80 pages | 2020 IFC

Nov 7, 2020

Повышение финансовой компетентности и финансовой доступности в Узбекистане. Оценка со стороны спроса

В настоящем отчете представлены основные результаты исследования и рекомендации по трем основным направлениям: 1. Уровень доступа к финансовым услугам, 2. Уровень финансовой компетентности, 3. защита прав потребителей финансовых услуг.

Russian | 88 pages | 2020 IFC

Nov 7, 2020

Enhancing Financial Capability and Inclusion in Uzbekistan: A Demand-Side Assessment

IFC has conducted a financial capability and inclusion survey in Uzbekistan in 2020. This report provides key findings of the survey and recommendations across three main areas: (1) financial inclusion, (2) financial capability, and (3) financial consumer protection. The other sections of the report provides a detailed overview of the results of the financial capability survey, summarizes key findings of the report (executive summary), introduces the methodology of the survey in chapter one, and focuses on the overall level of financial inclusion in Uzbekistan in chapter two. Chapter three is an overview of the levels of financial capability in Uzbekistan, specifically financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of respondents. Chapter four explores the relationship between financial inclusion and financial capability. The final chapter looks into financial consumer protection practices in the country.

English | 80 pages | 2020 IFC

Nov 2, 2020

Gender Lens Investments Enable Women Entrepreneurs to Thrive in Pakistan

The challenge of establishing and growing enterprises is even greater for women entrepreneurs in emerging economies, where women-owned and led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face an estimated credit deficit of nearly $1.5 trillion.