CROSS-COUNTRY WORKSHOP FOR IMPACT EVALUATIONS IN FINANCE AND PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT Dakar, February 1-4, 2010 Country: Mauritius Ministry of Finance and Economic Empowerment Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project (METTAP) Team: Mr. C. Charitar, Principal Financial and Management Analyst Mr. A. Ramdhany, Financial and Management Analyst Mr. N. Raffique, Financial and Management Analyst

Mauritius

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project Project Development Objective (PDO) Title To improve the performance of targeted institutions and services that contribute to an improved investment climate in Mauritius.

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project PROJECT DESCRIPTION Title METTAP is an instrument by which the Government seeks to reorient the economy from dependence on the traditional economic sectors to a high-tech, services-oriented economy, i.e. a first-class climate for private business, and an appropriate infrastructure platform which will be central to the country’s ability to attract domestic and foreign investment to emerging sectors. How? reducing the regulatory burden and costs of doing business; improving utility/infrastructure service delivery to the private sector; expanding access to finance; and facilitating public-private partnerships in key infrastructure sectors, Outcome! Improvement in productivity and competitiveness at the firm level.

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project PROJECT COMPONENTS Title The Project is structured around the following three pillars:   Component One: Business facilitation; Component Two: Public Enterprise Reform; Component Three: Utility Regulation & Public Private Partnerships

PRIORITIES FOR LEARNING: INTERVENTIONS Title Business Facilitation: Simplifying Business Licensing Procedures; Improving Access to Commercial Justice; Improving Land Title Registration Services; and Extending Coverage of the Credit Reference Bureau to Improve Access to Finance.

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project EVALUATION QUESTIONS Title (i) Simplifying Business Licensing Procedures Change in the number of firms registered Large firms Small and Medium size firms Both categorized into : sectors, nature of business activities, gender, and whether domestic or foreign

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project EVALUATION QUESTIONS Title (ii) Improving Access to Commercial Justice Number of commercial cases registered Number of commercial disputes resolved All categorized into : Size of firms, sectors, nature of business activities, gender, and whether domestic or foreign

Title EVALUATION QUESTIONS (iii) Improving Land Title Registration Services Number of land-based assets registered and/or securitized

Title EVALUATION QUESTIONS All categorized into : (iv) Extending Coverage of the Credit Reference Bureau to Improve Access to Finance Number of enquiries made. All categorized into : Size of firms, sectors, nature of business activities, gender, and whether domestic or foreign

Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project EVALUATION DESIGN Title Small country, all-at-once reform rather than staggering in in different municipalities Design is a difference-in-differences approach, comparing changes in firms affected by the reform to changes in firms not (or less affected) by the reform E.g. Business registration reform: Large firms will register anyway Medium/Small firms may change rate of entry in response to reform Relying on time series pattern in registrations for the different sectors.

Example No. of Firms

Title TIMELINE FOR IMPACT EVALUATION Mauritius Economic Transition Technical Assistance Project TIMELINE FOR IMPACT EVALUATION Title Project Life It’s a five year implementation programme starting from Year 2009. IE can start as from Year 3, and could be more effective after Year 5 Collection of data Captured from the records of the Implementing Agencies; and/or from periodical surveys by relevant agencies including the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the Board of investment (BOI), and the World Bank.

Thank You