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The report shows that it takes only six days to open a business in Qatar, a shorter period compared to other countries in the region. Qatar also ranks well in the indicators for dealing with construction permits (27th) and closing a business (31st). Globally, the country was placed second for its taxation regime, but finishes in the bottom half of the rankings for obtaining business credits and contract enforcement.
These findings and potential areas of reform were discussed today at a seminar hosted by Qatar's General Secretariat for Development Planning and the World Bank Group in Doha.
Dr. Ibrahim Ibrahim, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of Development Planning, said: "The seminar provides a valuable opportunity to sensitize policy and decision makers to everyday problems that businesses face in Qatar. Working with the Ministry of Business and Trade, we will look into practical steps that will help improve the country's performance and create a more globally competitive business climate."
Dahlia Khalifa, coauthor of the report, said:
"Economies need rules that are efficient, easy to use, and accessible to all who use them, especially small and midsize firms. Qatar's strong results across indicators and in the aggregate ranking indicate a good regulatory environment for business."
The Middle East and North Africa, the second-fastest reforming region worldwide, continues to ease the regulatory burden of doing business. In two-thirds of the region's economies, the report records 27 reforms between June 2007 and June 2008 that make it easier to do business. Egypt is one of the global top-10 economies that reformed its business regulations, while both Saudi Arabia (16th) and Bahrain (18th) rank among the top 25 worldwide on the ease of doing business. The other top-ranked economies in the region are Qatar (37th) and the United Arab Emirates (46th).
Posted by Nadeen El Ajou
