Sub-Saharan Africa

Developing a Single Window to Facilitate Trade in Senegal (April 2010)

In 1995 Senegal introduced a single window system for electronic trade facilitation as part of a reform agenda to improve the country’s business environment. This note, the third in a series of four on trade logistics reform issues and initiatives, highlights key issues in Senegal’s decision to develop a customized system and offers lessons in managing stakeholder requirements and expectations.

Ghana Leads West Africa in Transit Reform (April 2010)

Since early 2006 Ghana has modified several features of its transit system as part of efforts to improve road-based trade in West Africa. This note, the second in a series of four on trade logistics reform issues and initiatives, highlights these key reforms in Ghana and offers lessons for catalyzing broader transit reform across West Africa and other regions.

Global Investment Promotion Benchmarking - Eyes on COMESA (April 2010)

The Global Investment Promotion Benchmarking Report – Eyes on COMESA contains examples of best practice facilitation from investment promotion intermediaries in the COMESA region and includes specific recommendations for improvement for countries in this region.

Outsourcing of Business Registration Activities - Lessons from Experience (April 2010)

Outsourcing has become a recognized feature of industrial and commercial activity around the world. Many countries have outsourced some aspect of business registration, particularly the development and operation of computer systems, but there are some that have gone further. This study has been commissioned by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to explore the extent to which outsourcing has become a recognized feature of business registration, the reasons for this, and the associated benefits, drawbacks, and practical problems. Did business registries outsource any or all of their functions? If so, did the same considerations apply as for the private sector? Were there lessons to be learned from their experience? Responses to these and other questions were received from 53 registries and analyzed in this study.

Tax Compliance Cost Surveys: Using Data to Design Targeted Reforms (February 2010)

A tax compliance cost survey can provide useful information for the design of reforms to reduce compliance costs and risks for small businesses. This note highlights key findings of tax compliance cost surveys conducted in South Africa, the Republic of Yemen, Ukraine, and Peru that measured the burdens on business. These surveys helped fine-tune the design of reforms to lower costs for businesses and improve their competitiveness.

How Many Stops in a One Stop Shop? (January 2010)

Many governments have introduced one-stop shops as part of their reform of the business registration process. But what is a one-stop shop? Is it like any other shop? Can it really involve just one stop? IFC has commissioned this study to provide some background and possibly a few hints for those contemplating setting up a one-stop shop or improving one that already exists.