Different skills required

摘要

Before the leaders of the G8 meet in Scotland to talk about helping Africa (see page 24) on July 6th-8th, companies will gather for their own "G8 Business Summit" in London. Developing a flourishing private sector is crucial if the aid, debt forgiveness and trade reform that, it is hoped, will emerge from the G8 is to bear fruit. The business summit will try to figure out what the private sector can do to improve the business climate in Africa. Much needs to be done. According to the World Bank's annual "Doing Business" report, sub-Saharan Africa is, on average, the most difficult place to do business in the world when it comes to red tape. The report examines regulatory obstacles and ranks performance using criteria such as ease of starting and closing a business, hiring and firing workers, enforcing contracts, getting credit and protecting investors. The 2005 report found that, in the previous year, sub-Saharan Africa had also reformed less than any other region.