The IFC Reformers Club Awards Egypt for being the Top Reformer at the 2008

The Doing Business 2008 Reformers’ Club celebrated and showcased the achievements of the global top 10 reforming governments in 2007. The top 10 are, in order, Egypt, Croatia, Ghana, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, China, and Bulgaria. These countries have carried out the most reforms in the areas covered in the Doing Business 2008 report.

Government officials presented their successful reforms to an international investor audience and the global business media, and created enthusiasm about investment opportunities in their countries. Reform leaders were publicly acknowledged for their achievements and became members of the Reformers’ Club.

Top reformer status and membership of the Reformers’ Club have become prestigious and sought after designations for politicians involved in business environment reform. The Club aims to be the leading global policy forum to engage business environment reformers and a leading force in shaping and motivating the future business environment reform agenda around the world.

The Doing Business 2008 Reformers’ Club event took place in New York, on June 4, 2008. The event included a half-day investor seminar followed by a reception and awards dinner. The event was organized by the World Bank and IFC in partnership with General Electric, USAID, JPMorgan, NYSE Euronext, United States Council for International Business, Trade Association for the Emerging Markets, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and PricewaterhouseCoopers Legal.

Graeme Wheeler, Managing Director, World Bank, gave the opening remarks.

Penelope Brook, Director, Indicators and Analysis Financial and Private Sector Development Vice Presidency, International Finance Corporation, hosted the event.

Participants heard from the world’s fastest reformers of business regulation in a conversation led by Clive Crook, Associate Editor, Financial Times, and former editor of The Economist. The following ministers discussed recent and future reform plans and their impact on their respective business environments:

H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Minister of Investment, Egypt
H.E. Ivan Šuker, Minister of Finance, Croatia
H.E. Nikola Gruevski, Prime Minister, FYR Macedonia
H.E. Ekaterina A. Sharashidze, Minister of Economic Development, Georgia
H.E. Luis Guillermo Plata, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Colombia
H.E. Dr. Awwad S. Al-Awwad, Deputy Governor, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority
H.E. Plamen Oresharski, Minister of Finance, Bulgaria

Source: Ministry of Investment