Fragile and conflict-affected situations might appear incapable of attracting significant flows of foreign investment due to their often negative international images and weak enabling environments. However, during the last eight years, foreign investment into these economies has grown almost...

As the use of e-fi ling of tax returns has spread from developed to developingcountries, it has been clear that this sort of reform can reduce errors and opportunities for corruption. Also, it has been widely assumed that taxpayercompliance costs would decrease with the use of e-fi ling, because...

Political risk has once again become a key concern of investors after the perceived openness and liberalization of foreign direct investment (FDI) regimes in the 1990s. Governments that do not recognize this trend pay a high price in lost investments. Confronting political and regulatory risks...

Strategic communications is used to build support and local ownership for reform initiatives while diffusing stakeholder opposition. It addresses the critical 'people' side of the reform process by fostering dialogue between stakeholders, changing perceptions, and strengthening the capacity of...

A good investment climate for tourism, underpinned by a sound tax regime, can play a central role in a government's growth and development strategy. Yet in many countries, tax systems for the tourism sector are characterized by exemption schemes and instruments that generate little revenue and...

Cumbersome transit and customs procedures hinder trade and economic development. Ghana has modified several features of its transit system as part of efforts to improve road-based trade in West Africa. Since 2006 the country's transit reforms have cut the time to process and transport goods...

The New Zealand Customs Service's risk management system enables it to manage large volumes of cargo crossing borders with limited resources. The system encompasses a culture of problem-solving and accountability for decisions, a standard methodology for identifying and assessing risk, and an...

In 1995 a reform group headed by Senegal's Ministry of trade introduced a single window system for electronic trade facilitation as part of a reform agenda to improve the country's business environment. Launched in 2004, the system transformed customs clearance, streamlining the process through...

Simple, fast, transparent customs clearance procedures encourage trade-and the resulting tariffs and related taxes raise government revenue and stimulate economic development. After outsourcing failed to make customs more efficient or increase revenue, in 2002 Pakistan began pursuing a modern...

Businesses especially small ones often face heavy costs in the process of preparing, filing, and paying taxes in addition to the burden of tax payments. These compliance costs, added to fines, penalties, and the risks of onerous inspections and demands for bribes, often deter business creation...