Blog - Center for International Private Enterprise

Reports Show Weak Progress on Economic Reform in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the process of economic reforms has been painfully slow – a fact underlined by stalled or slipping progress on several international indices. On the World Bank’s 2015 Doing Business, Pakistan fell from 107th out of 185 countries to 128th. The World Economic Forum’s Global...

Helping Diaspora Investors Make a Difference in their Home Countries

"There is nothing more powerful than individuals motivated to invest in meaningful programs in their home countries," said Eric-Vincent Guichard, the Founder and CEO of Homestrings, an online platform facilitating global diaspora investments. The son of a Guinean father and an American mother, E...

Fighting Corruption Matters for Indonesia’s Oil and Gas Industry

"If a company's goal is to stay in business for a long time, why take the shortcut and pay bribes, which can damage the company in the long term?" asked Sammy Hamzah, president of Indonesian Petroleum Association, at the launch event of CIPE and International Business Links (IBL)'s new Anti-Corru...

Meet the 2015 Global Photo Competition Winners

Joseph Balikuddembe is a web application developer from Uganda. "[My] background and passion for fine arts manifested in my desire and love for photography, a passion am trying to grow as an amateur photographer. I take pictures mainly with my phone as I go about my day," Balikuddembe said. "When...

What’s the Role of the Private Sector in Democracy and Development?

Today is the International Day of Democracy, when the world celebrates the importance of democracy and democratic governance. But the role of the private sector in building democracies that deliver prosperity and opportunity to all citizens is often overlooked. That is why the contribution made b...

Kenya’s Renewed Commitment to Fight Corruption Needs the Private Sector

This post originally appeared on the Corporate Compliance Trends blog. When I visited Nairobi a few weeks ago, the signs of President Obama's recent visit to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit were still clearly visible all around – from welcome posters to the spruced-up cityscape. I was...

Investing in Bangladesh: A Gender-Smart Approach to Private Sector Development

This post is Part 5 in a series. Read Part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, and part 4 here. Jump to Ahmad’s comments. Over the last 28 years, Selima Ahmad, the founder of the Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI), has worked exclusively on women’s econom...

Women in Business Mean Business: An Engaged Civil Society Organization in Nepal

This post is Part 4 in a series. Read Part 1 here, part 2 here, and part 3 here. Jump to Bhandary’s comments. Rita Bhandary is a woman in business who means business. She is the current President of the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association in Nepal (FWEAN) and a successful entrepre...

How Average Citizens are Helping Set Budget Priorities in Kenya

"There is no development that can be done if it's not budgeted for." These are the words of Edwin Kiprono, the president of Kerio Community Trust Fund, explaining the importance of citizen's alternative budgets in Kenya. In 2010, Kenya adopted a new constitution, establishing a system of devoluti...

Could Armenia Be One of the Biggest Beneficiaries of the Iran Nuclear Deal?

The much-analyzed nuclear deal with Iran to lift international sanctions is, if approved, expected to have a substantial impact on the Iranian economy by enabling the country to increase its oil and gas exports and by creating new possibilities for foreign direct investment (FDI). Many observers h...