MENA Enterprise Survey Report Working Papers: Volume 1 - Access to finance in the Middle East and North Africa

Description

The Middle East and North African region’s comparatively deep banking sectors are not adept at providing access to finance for a broad cross-section of mainly small and medium-sized companies, according to the 2019 round of Enterprise Surveys. The ability of businesses in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and the West Bank and Gaza to access finance has not improved since the previous survey round in 2013.

Data from the surveys also reflect the low aggregate investment rates in the region. The share of firms investing in fixed assets has declined compared to the previous survey round and is now lower than in peer economies. In addition, some 7.5% of firms in the average MENA country have experienced monetary losses due to extreme weather events in the three years preceding the survey.

The Enterprise Surveys, conducted by the EIB, EBRD and the World Bank, provide insight into what lies beneath the region’s relatively slow growth, with a focus on the reasons for stagnating productivity and inadequate accumulation of human and physical capital in the private sector. This working paper is the first of nine supporting the full report: Unlocking sustainable growth in the Middle East and North Africa private sector.