June 8, 2024

Mr Ajay Banga

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank

1818 H Street NW,

Washington, DC 20433

Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org

Mr President,

I am astonished by the recent release of the World Bank's Business Ready (B-READY) 2024 report, which evaluates public services provided to businesses, among other factors. I want to raise two specific concerns about the report.

Rwanda's ranking as one of the top three performers globally in public services for businesses in B-READY 2024, following Singapore and Georgia, raises questions given the composition of Rwanda’s business landscape. According to the Rwanda Revenue Authority's 2023 data, the country is home to 465,378 small businesses, 842 medium enterprises, and 373 large businesses. The definition of these categories is based on turnover, with "small" businesses generating below FRW400 million, "medium" businesses between FRW400 million and FRW1 billion, and "large" businesses above FRW1 billion.

Notably, Rwanda's "large" businesses, defined by a turnover exceeding RWF1 billion, equate to approximately US$741,113. This raises concerns about the World Bank's ranking, as Rwanda's economy is primarily driven by the informal sector, encompassing retail, garages, and accommodation. This prompts a critical examination of the criteria for assessing and ranking countries' business service performance.

The World Bank explicitly disclaims any guarantee regarding the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data presented in B-READY 2024. The organization does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, and it disclaims liability concerning the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. Furthermore, the citation of works authored by others does not signify the World Bank's endorsement of the views expressed by those authors or the content of their works.

Dear Mr. President,

I want to bring to your attention the developments regarding the Doing Business report published by the World Bank. Following allegations of preferential treatment by bank staff in the annual country rankings, the World Bank discontinued the old Doing Business and introduced a new report called B-READY. However, the B-READY report reflects a failure on the part of the World Bank to address the issues that plagued the original Doing Business report.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

David Himbara, PhD

Affiliated Scholar,

University of Toronto

Canada.