1.
10 countries where doing
business is getting easier

2.
How business-friendly is your country?
Each year, the World Bank ranks more
than 180 economies on a variety of
indicators, from ease of starting a
business to protecting investors.
Which economies improved the most
in 2012-2013? Check out the top 10
“Doing Business” climbers.

3.
#1 Ukraine
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
112
140
8
This is the second year Ukraine made the top reformers’ list. Access to credit information and
property transfer are now easier as the government has streamlined procedures on both areas. But
it remains below the average ranking for Europe and Central Asia which stands at 71.

4.
#2 Rwanda
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
32
54
8
Over the last five reports, Rwanda has made the list of top reformers three times. In the latest edition,
it jumped 22 spots for, among others, bringing down building permit fees as well as implementing an
online building permit application system and a Web-based tool to process land transactions. It is the
second easiest economy to do business in sub-Saharan Africa (Mauritius is first).

5.
#3 Russia
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
92
111
5
The big jump on the ranking is thanks to a less costly and simpler process to access electricity and
streamlined procedures for transferring property. Still, the country is below the average ranking for
Europe and Central Asia.

6.
#4 Philippines
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
108
133
3
The Asian country earned its place following the enactment of an act that guarantees borrowers’ right
to access their data and introduction of an electronic filing and payment system for social security
contributions.

7.
#5 Kosovo
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
86
96
3
Kosovo made a substantial leap in the ranking for establishing a one-stop shop for incorporation,
removing fees for technical approvals from the municipality, decreasing the building permit fee, and
combining procedures for drafting and legalizing sale and purchase agreements.

8.
#6 Djibouti
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
160
172
3
Djibouti’s most significant reform was to simplify the business registration procedures and eliminate
the minimum capital requirement for limited liability companies. That said, it belongs to the bottom
three among countries in the Middle East and North Africa when it comes to ease of doing business.

9.
#7 Côte d’Ivoire
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
167
173
4
Côte d’Ivoire has established a one-stop shop for starting a business and now requires, at the time of
company registration, a sworn declaration rather than a copy of the founders’ criminal records.
It has also created a specialized commercial court so enforcing contracts is easier.

10.
#8 Burundi
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
140
157
6
It’s Burundi’s third year on this list. It has created one-stop shops for registering businesses and
property as well as for obtaining building permits and utility connections. It is just above the average
ranking for sub-Saharan African economies (142).

11.
#9 Macedonia
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
25
36
6
Like Rwanda and Burundi, Macedonia has appeared at least three times on the top reformers’ list. It
ranks higher than Japan (27), Netherlands (28), Switzerland (29), Belgium (36) and France (38). This
upper-middle-income economy has made its biggest strides in easing the burden for companies to
get electricity and credit as well as improving investor protection.

12.
#10 Guatemala
DB2014 rank:
DB2013 rank:
No. of reforms:
79
93
3
The Central American country first made the list in the 2007 edition of the report. Aside from
developing an electronic tax filing and payment system and an online platform that enables
simultaneous registration of a new company with different public agencies, the government has
created a one-stop shop for processing construction permits.

13.
Read more on boosting the developing world’s
private sector on Devex.com.