Business Environment Strengthening Technical Assistance (BESTAP)

Abstract*

The objective of the Project is to support capacity development and investment climate reforms in order to accelerate economic growth. This project is one instrument by which the Bank seeks to achieve an improved climate for private business. This will be done by reducing the regulatory burden and costs of doing business; improving service delivery to the private sector; access to finance for SMEs; and by strengthening support for technical and business... Show More

Development Objective

To improve the ease of doing business processes in Malawi in order to increase foreign and domestic private sector investment in the economy.

Key Details

Project Details

Project ID
P103773
Status
Closed
Team Leader
Brian Mtonya
Borrower 2
N/A

Country
Malawi
Disclosure Date
February 15, 2007
Approval Date
(as of board presentation)
May 24, 2007
Effective Date
October 10, 2007

Total Project Cost 1
US$ 18.70 million
Implementing Agency
N/A
Region
Eastern and Southern Africa
Fiscal Year 3
2007

Commitment Amount
US$ 18.70 million
Environmental Category
C
Environmental and Social Risk
Not Applicable
Closing Date
December 31, 2012

Last Stage Reached
BANK APPROVED
Last Update Date
January 15, 2013

Notes
1. Total project cost includes funding from World Bank and non-bank sources in US$ millions. Active and Closed projects show current commitments. Proposed (pipeline) and dropped projects show the forecast amount. The commitment amount for projects in the pipeline is indicative and may be modified during the project preparation.
2. Borrower refers to the Borrower of a Loan or Recipient of a Grant.
3. ”Fiscal Year” is the fiscal year in which the project was approved (or dropped if the status is dropped). The World Bank's fiscal year is from July 1 - June 30. For example, a fiscal year of 1996 corresponds to July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996.

Sectors

Themes

FY17 - Economic Policy

FY17 - Trade13%
- FY17 - Trade Facilitation13%

FY17 - Finance

FY17 - Financial Infrastructure and Access13%
- FY17 - MSME Finance13%

FY17 - Private Sector Development

FY17 - Business Enabling Environment49%
- FY17 - Investment and Business Climate24%
- FY17 - Regulation and Competition Policy25%
FY17 - Enterprise Development13%
- FY17 - MSME Development13%
FY17 - Public Private Partnerships10%

FY17 - Public Sector Management

FY17 - Rule of Law13%
- FY17 - Legal Institutions for a Market Economy13%

Project Map

Interactive Map

Finances

Financing Plan (US$ Millions)

Financier	Commitments
IDA Grant	15.00
EUROPARTNERS BANK	3.70

Total Project Financing (US$ Millions)

Product Line	IBRD/IDA
IBRD Commitment	N/A
IDA Commitment	15.00
IBRD + IDA Commitment	15.00

Lending Instrument
Grant Amount	3.70
Total Project Cost**	18.70

Summary Status of World Bank Financing (US$ Millions) as of April 30, 2025

No data available.

Detailed Financial Activity as of April 30, 2025

Download:

Period	Financier	Transaction Type	Amount (US$)
May 24, 2007	IDA-H2930	Loan Commitment	15,000,000.00

Footnotes

Ratings

IMPLEMENTATION RATINGS

Name	Review	Date
Procurement	Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Overall	Moderately Low	2013-01-06
Overall Implementation Progress (IP)	Moderately Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Progress towards achievement of PDO	Moderately Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Counterpart Funding	Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Project Management	Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Financial Management	Satisfactory	2013-01-06
Monitoring and Evaluation	Satisfactory	2013-01-06

COMPLETION RATINGS

INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION & RESULTS REPORT: 06-28-2013
Outcomes	Moderately Satisfactory
Risk to Development Outcome	Modest
Bank Performance	Moderately Satisfactory
Borrower Performance	Moderately Satisfactory
Government Performance	Moderately Unsatisfactory
Implementing Agency	Moderately Satisfactory

INDEPENDENT EVALUATION RATINGS

INDICATOR	ICR REVIEW: 06-20-2014	PROJECT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT:
Outcome Rating	Moderately Unsatisfactory	N/a
Risk To Development Outcome	Moderate	N/a
Bank Performance	Moderately Unsatisfactory	N/a
Borrower Performance	Moderately Satisfactory	N/a
Government Performance	Moderately Unsatisfactory	N/a
Implementing Agency	Moderately Satisfactory	N/a
Icr Quality	Satisfactory	N/a
M&e Quality	Modest	N/a

Results Framework

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE INDICATORS

INDICATOR		BASELINE	CURRENT	TARGET

Reduction of costs to formally start a business by end of project	Value	134.7%	83.7	70%
	Date	July 31, 2007	June 30, 2012	July 31, 2012
	Comment	From 2007 Doing Business Report	This figure is from 2013 Doing Business Report. This figure is substantial reduction from 134.7 baseline although slightly shortof70% end target.

Growth of turnover in firms accessing Business Growth Scheme(BUGS)	Value	0%		20%
	Date	July 31, 2007	November 4, 2011	July 31, 2012
	Comment		A consultant is in the process of being engaged and work is due to start in April, 2011 to do a study to establish this indicator.	A similar study is expected to be done towards the end of the project to establish end target.

INTERMEDIATE RESULTS INDICATORS

INDICATOR		BASELINE	CURRENT	TARGET

Legislative backlog of laws impacting cost of doing business reduced from 40 to 22 Bills by mid term review and cleared by end of project	Value	40	10	22
	Date	July 31, 2007	June 30, 2012	July 31, 2012
	Comment		Tremendous progress has been achieved on backlog and laws that been reviewed and submitted, mostly due to legaldraftsperson/consultant engaged by BESTAP who works on reviews on a full time basis

Reduction in time taken to settle commercial disputes.	Value	337 calendar days	96	<180 calendar days
	Date	July 31, 2007	June 30, 2012	July 31, 2012
	Comment		The Commercial Court has made substantial progress from the 337 days it used to take when the project started.

Reduction in time taken to formally start a business.	Value	37 days	39	10 days
	Date	July 31, 2007	June 30, 2012	July 31, 2012
	Comment		According to the DB Report, this indicator has not improved. The expectation is that computerization and systems improvement beingcarried out at business registry will have significant impact on this indicator as well as new Single Business License Bill.

Reduction in time taken to register property title.	Value	118 calendar days	69	60 calendar days
	Date	July 31, 2007	June 30, 2012	July 31, 2012
	Comment		There has a deterioration since the previous year. The City of Blantyre but not at national level. Automation of lands registrytobe carried out in 2011 should be positive impact in reduction in time.

Reduction of time taken to obtain licences and permits.	Value	185 calendar days	200 calendar days	30 calendar days
	Date	July 31, 2007	November 4, 2011	July 31, 2012
	Comment		This indicator has not changed according to the 2012 DB Report. Working with the IFC under BESTAP, a mapping study of obtaininglicenses in Malawi was carried out in 2010 and recommendations are being implemented led by Commissioner of Physical Planning.

Reduction of turnover in firms accessing Business Growth Scheme (BUGS).	Value	0%	n/a	20%
	Date	July 31, 2007	November 4, 2011	July 31, 2012
	Comment		A consultant is in the process of being engaged and work is due to start in April, 2011 to do a study to establish this indicator.

Volume of Bank Support: Institutional Development - SME Value 0.00 163040.00 1800000.00
Date August 10, 2007 November 4, 2011 December 31, 2012
Comment Data gathered from retrofit exercise

Volume of Bank Support: Institutional Development - SME	Value	0.00	163040.00	1800000.00
	Date	August 10, 2007	November 4, 2011	December 31, 2012
	Comment		Data gathered from retrofit exercise