Over the past several decades, the MENA region has realised the growing importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in economic development and diversification, job creation, reducing unemployment, raising incomes, and attracting foreign investment. Over 90% of registered companies in the region qualify as SMEs, employing 17 million people, with this figure forecasted to grow 2.5% annually through 2020 to reach 20 million people.In line with global trends, governments are increasingly interested in reforming the SME sector to maximise economic benefits. Since 2008 MENA governments have passed 200 business reforms, of which 87% had a positive effect on the business environment. Over one fifth of these reforms have focused on business creation, hinting at the fact that the majority of policymakers in the region have focused more on easing the business start up process than improving other factors crucial to the overall business climate. There has been a global emphasis on easing the start up process for SMEs in recent years, and World Bank studies suggest that easing regulations for business entry results in a larger pool of start up companies, encouraging job creation and fostering overall private sector activity.