Press Releases, 2004-18
The following news releases were issued by the International Finance Corporation and World Bank from 2004-2018.
2018 Press Releases
- Global Press Release: New Record Set as 314 Reforms Introduced to Improve Business Climate Around the World
- Regional Press Releases:
Sub Saharan Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
2017 Press Releases
- Global Press Release: Doing Business Records Nearly 3,200 Reforms in 15 Years to Improve Business Climate Worldwide
- Regional Press Releases:
Sub Saharan Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
2016 Press Releases
- Doing Business in Afghanistan 2017 Afghan provinces can improve their ease of doing business by learning from each other, WBG report
- Paying Taxes 2017: The Global Picture: Tax compliance gets easier for companies, but new data highlights post-filing challenges
- Global Press Release: Record number of economies carried out business reforms in past year Doing Business
- Regional Press Releases:
Sub Saharan Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet - Doing Business in Mexico 2016: Puebla, Jalisco y Estado de México, los que más avanzaron hacia las mejores prácticas internacionales
- Doing Business in Kenya 2016: Major reforms improve ease of doing business in many counties across Kenya, WBG report finds
2015 Press Releases
- Paying Taxes 2016: The Global Picture: Ten years of global reductions in tax compliance burden for companies, increasingly driven by electronic reforms
- Doing Business 2016: Measuring Regulatory Quality and Efficiency
Global Press Release: Doing Business Report Finds More than 60% of World’s Economies Improved Their Business Rules in Past Year
Regional Press Releases:
Sub Saharan Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
Caribbean: Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet - Doing Business in Spain 2015: La Rioja, Madrid and Navarre are best places for doing business in Spain, WBG report finds
Also available in Spanish. - Doing Business in Poland 2015: New World Bank Group report says Poland’s cities are business-friendly, but room for improvement remains
Also available in Polish. - Doing Business in South Africa 2015: New World Bank Group report finds Doing Business in South Africa can be made easier if local good practices are replicated across the country
2014 Press Releases
- Paying Taxes 2015: Overall tax cost and compliance burden lower for businesses around the world
- Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency
Global Press Release: Regulatory efficiency and strong legal protections key to helping entrepreneurs thrive, finds Doing Business report
Regional Press Releases:
Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet - Doing Business in Nigeria 2014: World Bank Group finds regulatory reforms improving Nigeria's business climate, yet challenges persist
- Independent Panel Review: World Bank President Jim Yong Kim’s Statement on the Independent Panel Review of Doing Business
2013 Press Releases
- Doing Business in Egypt 2014: Sharing of local good practices and commitment to transparency are critical to meaningful business reform for Egypt’s small and medium-size firm
Also available in Arabic - Paying Taxes 2014: Globally, tax rate policies vary as economies continue to reform tax compliance systems
Regional Fact Sheets:
Africa, Asia Pacific, Central America and Caribbean, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, European Union and European Free Trade Association, Middle East, North America, South America - Doing Business 2014 Global Release: ‘Doing Business’ research documents 18 percent increase in business regulation reforms, helping entrepreneurs; trend to reduce burdens especially noticeable in Africa
Regional Press Releases:
Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet - Doing Business in Colombia 2013: Consistent reformers Manizales and Ibagué remain on top, as large business cities enhance their reform agenda
Also available in Spanish - Doing Business in East African Community 2013: East African Community economies improving business climate for local entrepreneurs
2012 Press Releases
- Paying Taxes 2013 - The Global Picture: Tax reforms continue worldwide despite economic turmoil, electronic filing increasing especially
- Doing Business in Italy 2013: Smarter regulatory reforms across Italy offer good practices to improve business environment
- World Bank & IFC Report Finds Developing Countries Made Significant Progress in Improving Business Regulations
Regional press releases:
Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet - Entrepreneurship data: New survey suggests Doing Business reforms may have boosted new firm registrations
- Doing Business in Hargeisa 2012: IFC and World Bank report finds strengthened business climate in Hargeisa, despite challenges
Also available in Somali - Doing Business in Kenya 2012: Business regulatory reforms improve local business environment for domestic firms in Kenya
- Doing Business in the Arab World 2012: Business reforms in Arab World continue to ease business entry, finds IFC-World Bank report
Also available in Arabic and French - Doing Business in Indonesia 2012: Business regulations for small and medium businesses in Indonesia improving
Also available in Bahasa - Doing Business in OHADA 2012: Progress in regulatory reform expands business opportunities across OHADA member states
2011 Press Releases
- Doing Business 2012 global release: World Bank report finds more economies implemented business reforms in 2010-2011
Regional press releases:
Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
East Asia and Pacific: Press release, Fact sheet
Europe and Central Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
Latin America and Caribbean: Press release, Fact sheet
Middle East and North Africa: Press release, Fact sheet
OECD High-Income Economies: Press release, Fact sheet
South Asia: Press release, Fact sheet
2010 Press Releases
- Doing Business in the Philippines 2011: Local governments improving business regulation and empowering entrepreneurs
- Paying Taxes 2011: Paying taxes is getting easier despite economic downturn
- Doing Business 2011 global release: Economies improving business regulation and empowering entrepreneurs
Regional press releases:
Africa: Rwanda, Cape Verde, Zambia among global leaders in improving business regulation
Caribbean: Grenada among global leaders in improving business regulation for local firms
East Asia and Pacific: East Asia picks up pace in improving business regulation for local firms
Europe and Central Asia: Central Asian economies among global leaders in improving business regulation
Latin America: Peru leads Latin America in improving business regulation; Mexico ranks highest in the region on the Ease of Doing Business
Middle East and North Africa: Trade facilitation a priority in regulatory reforms in the Middle East and North Africa
South Asia: India among economies consistently making it easier for local firms to do business - Doing Business in Pakistan 2010: Local level Doing Business reforms can enhance Pakistan’s small and midsize firms
- Doing Business in Nigeria 2010: Progress in regulatory reform expands business opportunities throughout Nigeria
- Doing Business in the East African Community 2010: East African economies are reforming but still have further to go, finds IFC-World Bank
- Doing Business in Colombia 2010: Remarkable progress in regulatory reform across Colombia
Also available in Spanish
2009 Press Releases
- Doing Business in Indonesia 2010: Wider use of local good practices can promote more business-friendly regulation across Indonesia
- Paying Taxes 2010 - The Global Picture: Tax reform remains on the agenda of governments despite economic downturn
- Doing Business in the Arab World 2010: Reforms accelerate in Arab economies
- Employing Workers Indicators: Consultative group discusses possible revisions, new Worker Protection Indicator, at inaugural meeting in Washington
- Doing Business in Russia 2009: New report finds adopting good practices can enhance business environment across Russia
- Doing Business in Kenya 2010: Adopting local good practices can enhance business activity across Kenya
- Doing Business 2010 global release: Governments set new record in business regulation reform
Regional press releases:
Africa: Rwanda is the top global reformer; Mauritius moves into top 20 economies on overall Ease of Doing Business
Caribbean: More Caribbean economies reform business regulation
East Asia and Pacific: Indonesia is the most active business regulatory reformer in East Asia and the Pacific
Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region leads the world in business regulatory reform
Latin America: Latin America steps up business regulatory reform; Colombia continues four-year streak as region’s top reformer
Middle East and North Africa: Middle East-North Africa sets business regulatory reform pace
South Asia: South Asia picks up pace of business regulatory reform
2008 Press Releases
- Doing Business 2009 global release in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese,Russian and Spanish
Regional press releases:
Africa: English, French
East Asia & Pacific: Chinese, English and Portuguese
Eastern Europe and Central Asia: English and Russian
Latin America & Caribbean: English, Portuguese and Spanish
South Asia: English
Middle East and North Africa: Arabic, English and French - Subnational press releases:
Doing Business in India 2009: Reforms promote competitiveness and growth in Indian cities
Doing Business in Veneto 2009: Doing Business report on Veneto identifies opportunities to strengthen competitiveness - (in Italian)
New report on South East Europe benchmarks 22 cities on the Ease of Doing Business to help improve competitiveness, create jobs
Nigeria: First subnational report in Sub-Saharan Africa
New report on the Philippines compares 21 cities to help improve competitiveness, create jobs
Doing Business in China 2008: Cities nationwide are introducing reforms - Other press releases:
Small Island States identifies opportunities to strengthen competitiveness
Paying Taxes 2009 report finds that 21st century economies can benefit from simpler business tax systems
Doing Business in the Arab World is becoming easier in most parts
World Bank Group launches online library of laws impacting women in business
Landlocked economies identifies opportunities to strengthen competitiveness through regulatory reform
Comments on Independent Evaluation Group review of Doing Business indicators
Leaders from top reforming emerging markets share experiences at IFC-World Bank seminar
Small Island Developing States attract new investments
The IFC-World Bank report promotes reforms for women's entrepreneurship in Africa
IFC to advise Colombia on streamlining its business regulation and improving its business environment
World Bank-IFC Doing Business project supports Kyrgyz Republic's commitment to business regulatory reform
2007 Press Releases
- Doing Business 2008 global release in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese,Russian and Spanish
Regional press releases:
Africa: English, French
East Asia & Pacific: Chinese, English
Eastern Europe and Central Asia: English, Russian
Latin America & Caribbean: English, Portuguese, Spanish
South Asia: English
Middle East & North Africa: Arabic, English, French - Other press releases:
Paying Taxes 2008 report examines tax regulations in 178 countries
Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique receive top "Reformers' Club" award
Virtual world launch through Second Life via an interactive, live, mixed reality event
Legal and regulatory barriers facing business women
2006 Press Releases
- Doing Business 2007 global release in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese,Russian and Spanish
Regional press releases:
Africa: English, French
East Asia & the Pacific: Chinese, English
Central & Eastern Europe: English, Russian
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): English, Russian
Latin America & Caribbean: English, Portuguese, Spanish
South Asia: English
Middle East & North Africa: Arabic, English, French
2005 Press Releases
- Doing Business 2006 global release in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russianand Spanish
Regional press releases:
Africa: English, French
East Asia & the Pacific: English
Central & Eastern Europe: English
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): English
Latin America & Caribbean: English, Portuguese, Spanish
South Asia: English
Middle East & North Africa: Arabic, English
Country press releases:
Mexico English, Spanish
China English, Arabic