Investment Climate The Investment Climate program in AFTFP includes a number of activities both analytical and project based. While the most common analytical product is the Investment Climate Assessment –described below, other analytical pieces produced by the unit include Working Papers, Book Chapters, Policy Notes, as well as reports produced with partners such as the Africa Competitiveness Report jointly written with the African Development Bank and the World Economic Forum. All these make use of unique sources of information gathered during travel to African countries as well as original micro level data sets, most notably the Enterprise Surveys and the Doing Business. The Investment Climate Assessments cover a broad range of factors affecting firm productivity spanning from political stability to the efficient delivery of permits. The data used in Investment Climate Assessments are collected through face-to-face interviews with hundreds of managers hence the analysis reflects the managers’ actual experience. The Investment Climate Assessments’ strength lies in its standardized methodology, which allows for meaningful comparisons across countries. Furthermore the breadth and depth of the data allows for within country analysis of firm attributes, such as size, ownership and export orientation. The objectives of an Investment Climate Assessment are to: Evaluate the state of the business environment. Benchmark the quality of the business environment across countries. Identify the key constraints to increasing firm productivity. Identify policies that will alleviate obstacles and improve firm productivity and competitiveness. To date AFTFP has completed Investment Climate Assessments on 20 countries. The Investment Climate Assessments are based on Enterprise Surveys and other related data. Enterprise Surveys are detailed firm level surveys collecting both perception and objective indicators of the business environment. They are conducted every 3 to 5 years completed Enterprise Surveys for a total of over 20,000 firms interviewed. The Africa Region has drawn on these cross-country data by developing benchmarks for competitiveness across the continent. Investment Climate Assessment (ICA) Reports Click here to view World Bank reports. Investment Climate Reports available at the InfoShop An Assessment of the Investment Climate in South Africa An Assessment of the Investment Climate in Nigeria An Assessment of the Investment Climate in Kenya Useful Links: Finance and Private Sector Research website Enterprise Survey Doing Business World Economic Forum Africa Development Bank