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

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.

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 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

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - Alcazar Energy, Egypt

Alcazar Energy recognizes that workplace bullying, and in particular any forms of sexual harassment, could impact business operations and the employee’s wellbeing.

8 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Dec 9, 2020

Case Study: Exploring Client Approaches to Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response - TAQA Arabia, Energy, Egypt

TAQA Arabia recognized a need to consider specific risks for women as part of the project’s environmental, social, and health and safety requirements.

6 pages | © December 2020 IFC | Complimentary

Nov 18, 2020

Supply Chain Finance in Morocco: Preparing for the Future

Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Morocco face critical issues even though they represent over 95 percent of all companies and are a major source of employment and wealth.

May 29, 2020

COVID-19 Economic Impact: Middle East and North Africa

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to trigger a severe economic contraction in Middle East and North Africa. IFC is working with existing clients in the region to evaluate where our support is needed most.

English | 2 pages | 2020 IFC

Oct 15, 2019

Creating Markets in Morocco: Country Private Sector Diagnostic

The Morocco Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) examines the constraints that prevent the private sector from creating the jobs that Moroccans need and from contributing more dynamically to the country’s development goals. It also identifies sectors where the private investment can support of greater spillovers to the economy and higher quality jobs in productive sectors. These include the automotive and aeronautics industries and tertiary education and vocational training.

English - 132 pages | French - 142 pages | 2019 IFC

Oct 7, 2019

Scaling Infrastructure: Seven Sisters (Jordan)

May 11, 2019

Private Sector & Refugees—Pathways to Scale

A new IFC study—Private Sector & Refugees: Pathways to Scale—produced in partnership with The Bridgespan Group, takes an unprecedented look at over 170 initiatives in both Africa and the Middle East to understand the nature of, and derive lessons from, private sector engagement with refugees and host communities.

English | 80 pages | 2019 IFC

Jan 31, 2018

Luminus

Luminus Education is committed to transforming technical and vocational education (TVET) in Jordan and advancing the Education 4 Employment philosophy. Based in the region with the highest youth unemployment rate in the world, Luminus offers high-quality, market-oriented programs and recognizes that equipping Jordanian youth with vocational skills is important for both economic and security reasons.

Feb 15, 2017

Tafila Region Wind Power Projects - Cumulative Effects Assessment

The Tafila Region Wind Power Project Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) is the first of its kind in the Eastern Europe, Middle East, and North Africa region. It aims to promote more sustainable wind energy investments in Jordan while assessing and managing potential adverse environmental and social effects of renewables. The overall management and technical direction of the CEA was undertaken by IFC, supported by a team of multidisciplinary international and Jordanian experts and advisors.

184 pages | © February 2017 IFC | Complimentary

Oct 27, 2016

Unlocking Value: Alternative Fuels For Egypt’s Cement Industry

111| IFC

Oct 21, 2016

Profit with Purpose - Making Banking on Women Impactful

English 94| IFC

Oct 14, 2016

BLC Bank - Lebanon: Leading in Banking on Women - A study

English 27| IFC

Jun 22, 2016

Corporate Governance Handbook - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about Corporate Governance and how it can benefit businesses. Corporate Governance Handbook - Frequently Asked Questions

English 84 pages || @IFC 2016 |

Jun 15, 2016

Sustaining Growth - Cleaner Production in Pakistan

IFC’s Resource Efficiency Program has funded the production of Sustaining Growth: Cleaner Production in Pakistan report, that identify patterns of energy consumption and opportunities for energy, material and water savings in the leather, textile, sugar and pulp and paper sectors across Pakistan.

English 138 pages | | @2016 IFC

Jun 6, 2016

Cleaner Production in Pakistan

IFC’s Resource Efficiency Program has funded the production of Sustaining Growth: Cleaner Production in Pakistan report. Since 2006, Pakistan’s National Productivity Organization (NPO) and the Lahore-based Cleaner Production Institute (CPI) have conducted more than 200 resource efficiency audits to identify patterns of energy consumption and opportunities for energy, material and water savings in the leather, textile, sugar and pulp and paper sectors. For each of the sectors, the audits found that opportunities to cut costs and improve efficiency abound. IFC commissioned Ernst and Young (EY) to analyze the audit information and recommend resource-efficient practices and technologies. The report identifies several criteria necessary for the implementation of cleaner production measures, looking at both the potential for resource savings and the estimated payback period. This report is the first of its kind in both scope and scale. NPO & CPI aim to offer industrial stakeholders essential data and raise awareness of the potential for cleaner and more sustainable production methods. An IFC-funded study

135 pages || @ 2016 IFC |

Jan 19, 2016

A Solar Developers Guide to Pakistan

The Solar Developer’s Guide to Pakistan provides background for those who are implementing or intending to invest in solar generating plants in Pakistan. The Guide includes an overview of how a solar project is developed in Pakistan and the legal and regulatory support mechanisms for that project. A Solar Developers Guide to Pakistan

English 85 pages || @2016 IFC |

Nov 3, 2015

Voices. An Assessment of the Perceived Risks Facing the Microfinance Sector in the Arab World

49 pages || 2015 IFC |

Nov 3, 2015

Developing a Housing Microfinance. Product: The First Microfinance Bank's Experience in Afghanistan

30 pages || 2015 IFC |

Oct 27, 2015

Impact. IFC in the Middle East and North Africa, FY2015

24 pages || 2015 IFC |

Jun 29, 2015

Corporate Governance Success Stories - Middle East and North Africa

This report shares the experiences of 19 companies that have made governance improvements over the past few years, summarizing the changes they made, and the impacts they reported.

May 27, 2015

Overview of Pakistan Off-Grid Lighting Consumer Perceptions

For the last decade, Pakistan has been in the grip of a severe energy crisis. More than 144 million people across the country do not have reliable access to the grid, either because they are not connected or because they experience daily blackouts which often last over 12 hours per day. The power shortfall has severely hampered economic development and job creation across the country and it has only become more severe over the last five years. As a result, Pakistanis use a mix of technologies to light their homes and businesses. They spend an estimated $2.3 billion a year on everything from candles, to kerosene lamps, to battery-powered torches. This study explores the potential of another option: solar-powered lighting. Through a combination of market research and household surveys, it found that there is potentially a robust market for solar lighting solutions, which run the gamut from simple solar-powered desk lamps to large systems that can power multiple appliances. These systems are safer, more reliable, and, over the long run, cheaper than many of the technologies in widespread use today. Overview of Pakistan Off-Grid Lighting Consumer Perceptions

English 22 pages| @2015