Punching Above Their Weight : Insights from Rwanda and Georgia's B-READY Performance

A strong private sector is critical for growth, jobs, and development. Yet many developing economies still face barriers to becoming truly supportive environments for the private sector. Despite these constraints, two economies -Rwanda (a low-income country) and Georgia (an upper-middle-income country)-stand out in the 2024 Business Ready (B-READY) assessment, "punching above their weight" by achieving significantly higher levels of business readiness than others at comparable income levels. Through targeted reforms, particularly in digital infrastructure and policies that promote form flexibility and/or social benefits, these economies over practical lessons for how low- and middle-income economies can advance business environments in ways that align with their specific development needs and priorities. their performance shows that a strong business environment is achievable at any income level with the right strategies