Dushanbe, April 29, 2008
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today presented the results of its analysis of the Republic of Tajikistan’s permit system to representatives of the government, state bodies, international organizations, entrepreneurs, and the mass media. The results focused on the challenges of obtaining a permit and international best practices for reforming the permit system.
According to IFC’s survey, the Tajikistan government spends more than $7 million a year to administer a complex permit system. About 40 percent of local entrepreneurs face difficulties when applying for permits, a process that is expensive and time-consuming. The system needs reform to make procedures more practical and transparent and ensure that they align with the principles of a market economy.
“We based our analysis on a review of existing legislation and interviews with government officers and local entrepreneurs. This allowed us to identify ways to improve the permit system,” said Madina Nurmatova, IFC legal advisor.
The initiative was led by the IFC Business Enabling Environment – SME Policy Project, which is funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing private capital in local and international financial markets, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. IFC’s vision is that people should have the opportunity to escape poverty and improve their lives. In FY07, IFC committed $8.2 billion and mobilized an additional $3.9 billion through syndications and structured finance for 299 investments in 69 developing countries. IFC also provided advisory services in 97 countries. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About SECO
The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs is the Swiss Confederation's competence center for all the core issues related to economic policy. Its aim is to create basic regulatory and economic policy conditions to enable business to flourish and benefit all. SECO also represents Switzerland in the large multilateral trade organizations and international negotiations, and is involved in efforts to reduce poverty and help developing countries with transition economies build sustainable democratic societies and viable market economies. Each year, Switzerland spends about 1.9 billion francs on development cooperation and transition assistance to countries.
