26 September 2007
Credit Insurance is about supporting business, but where are conditions for doing business improving?
Simply, Singapore tops the list and the Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked bottom. That means that setting up in business in DRC takes 155 days, and costs five times the per capita annual income. And the most improved? Egypt, with reforms in 5 of the 10 areas comprising the evaluation.
Encouraging enterprise, and removing obstacles for the setting up of new businesses has received a powerful boost from the effects of the report being published previously. At least 113 reforms were inspired by, or informed by earlier 'Doing Business' reports.
It is particularly highlighted in Eastern Europe, which according to the report, surpassed East Asia for ease of doing business. For example, Estonia is ranked as high as 17th on the list. Signs that bode well for credit insurers already active in those countries and for exporters looking for new markets.
Not all reforms were positive, though the overwhelming majority were, with 200 positive and 27 negative. Countries featuring more than once in the negative categories were Slovenia, in two categories, Venezuela in two, and Zimbabwe in no less than three. Standing out like a sore thumb in the negative categories is Germany, which scored negatively in the category 'registering Property'.
More resources on 'Doing Business 2008'
Highlights: Overview in PDF (2.1Mb) and in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Interactive Google map: Google Map
Doing Business website: DoingBusiness.org