The Euromoney Belt and Road Index (EBRI) combines International Monetary Fund (IMF) GDP figures with investment climate (IC) scores sourced from economists and political experts who ranked countries on the Euromoney Country Risk platform. The index therefore combines qualitative, crowd-sourced opinion with quantitative data. Using these sources EBRI aims to provide a clear and credible index representing the politico-economic environment and investment climate.
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TThe latest results of the Euromoney Belt and Road Index (EBRI) reveal that 39 of the 68 countries have higher values since the previous quarter, 27 are lower and two are unchanged, as values for GDP continue to recover from the pandemic, along with some of the economic and political risk ratings associated with the business climate and infrastructure projects.
The number of countries with index values larger than 100 has remained unchanged once again at 50. Countries with scores of 100 or more are included in the top three (of five) categories, or tiers, showing rising GDP and/or improving investor climates since China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was inaugurated in 2013.
The Q3 survey is notable for the rise in the Middle East regional index, to 93.24 from 91.76 in the previous quarter. It was the only region to improve, with higher oil prices boosting economies, despite not managing to get above the critical 100 mark, which is the case with Africa (101.10) and notably Asia (160.12).
Tier-1 countries with scores above 200 – showing the most improved growth rates and/or investor risk climates – comprise the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Bosnia-Herzogovina.
Tajikistan has fallen out of tier 1 into tier 2 this quarter, and Myanmar – with its civil strife and economic crisis – has fallen from tier 2 to tier 3, but no other has moved up or down a tier since Q2.
Kuwait, Iraq, Brunei, Turkey, Lebanon and Yemen still comprise the tier-5 countries with the lowest scores.
For more detailed results and the methodology, click below:
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