Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Income group
Low income
Most populous city
Bamako

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Starting a Foreign Business Details
This index evaluates the regulatory regime for business start-up.
QuestionAnswer
* Are your country's laws and regulations regarding the establishment process available online through a website of a public institution (e.g. Parliament, official gazette, etc.)? Y
What is the precise name of limited liability company (LLC) in your country (for example, LLC, private limited company, private limited liability company)in English ? Limited Liability Company
What is the precise name of limited liability company (LLC) in your country (for example, LLC, private limited company, private limited liability company)in your principal official language (if different from English). Société à Responsabilité Limitée (SARL)
Is Limited Liability Company (LLC) the most commonly used legal form for the establishment of foreign-owned companies? Yes
If no, what is the most common form of establishment of foreign companies in your country? N/A
* Does your country have any restrictions related to the composition of the board of directors of foreign owned but locally incorporated companies (nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, etc.)? No
If Yes, what is/are this/these restriction(s)? N/A
* Is a foreign-owned company required by law to establish its subsidiary through a local private sector third party (local counsel, notary etc.) or public entity (investment promotion agency)? Required by law
Comment A notary is required.
** Can a foreign-owned company expedite any of the establishment procedures through an official channel (fast-track procedure)? Yes
Comment Guichet unique
* Is the investment approval/authorization a mere formality, only requiring submitting a notification to an appropriate authority? No
* Does your country give the investor the right to appeal the decision on the approval/authorization? Yes
* Is a minimum of projected annual sales required for an approval/authorization? No
If Yes, what is this minimum (in local currency units, LCU)? N/A
* Is there a limit on the period of validity of a foreign investment approval (separate from any operational licenses/permits that need to be renewed)? No
If Yes, what is the approval’s validity period (in years)? N/A
Additional Comments
* Do laws and regulations specify a time limit within which authorities must notify the foreign company of the result of its registration? Yes
If Yes, what is this time limit? 3
* If Yes, is this limit usually respected? Yes
Do laws and regulations specify that no response from authorities within this time limit can be interpreted as consent and registration complete (that is, silent/deemed approval)? No
* Is the company registration documentation downloadable online? No
* If Yes, can the investment registration documentation be submitted online? No
* Can the registration process be monitored online? (e.g., check the status of registration, etc.) No
Comment
* Can a foreign-owned company hold a commercial bank account in a foreign currency in your country? Yes
* If Yes, does a foreign-owned company have to seek approval/authorization before opening such an account? Yes
If Yes, which authority issues such approval/authorization (e.g., Ministry of Finance, Central Bank, etc.)? The Ministry of Finance after advice of the Central Bank of West Africa - in French BCEAO. Art 43 rule 09/1998/CM UEMOA relatif aux relations financières extérieures des états membres de l'UEMOA - an ...morenexe 2) ...less
* If Yes, how long does it take, on average, to receive such an approval/ authorization? May take months. It depends of the negociations with the Government and the economic and strategic importance of the project.
Comment In order to open an offshore account (or account in foreign currency), the company will need authorization from Minister of Finance who has to go through the Central Bank (BCAO) for advice. The reque ...morest has to include information on repayment of a loan in foreign currency. This is a Regulation of the Monetary Union of West Africa (UMOA). ...less
* Does your country have a paid-in capital requirement for foreign-owned limited liability companies? Yes
* If Yes, is this requirement a different amount than the one for domestic companies? No
Comment
* Is your country party to the Hague Apostille Convention ? No
* Scored ** Bonus Question
Procedures (number): all procedural steps involved in establishing a wholly foreign-owned subsidiary. Both pre- and post-incorporation procedures that are officially required for a foreign investor to formally operate a business are recorded.

Time (days): the number of days needed to go through each of the procedural steps for establishing a subsidiary of a foreign company.

No.ProcedureTime to Complete (days)
1 14
2 1
3 7
4 1
5 1
6 3
7 1
8 1


Procedure 1 :
Obtain investment approval
Time to Complete (days) 14
Comments: A foreign company that is not part of an "etat communautaire" or country with bilateral establishment treaties must seek approval from the Ministry of Finance.


Procedure 2 :
Deposit the founding capital with a bank
Time to Complete (days) 1
Comments: The initial capital must be deposited with a bank, directly or through a public notary.


Procedure 3 :
Sign an affidativ to certify of no criminal record
Time to Complete (days) 7
Comments: Since March 2009, the entrepreneur can sign an affidavit to certify that he has no criminal records, and continue the procedures while he waits to get two copies of the criminal record required for the manager of the SARL after registration. A birth certificate is not needed. The criminal record must be obtained at the court of the founder's place of birth. Depending on the location of the court, the time for the procedure may vary. A photocopy of each shareholder’s identity card is required (instead of a birth certificate).


Procedure 4 :
Notarize bylaws and pay the registration fee at the notary
Time to Complete (days) 1
Comments: A notary public is required by law.


Procedure 5 :
Purchase legal stamps at the Tresor for the Authorization to operate, application for the Impots (Taxes), application for the Tribunal de Commerce, application for the statistical office, proof of payment of the patente
Time to Complete (days) 1
Comments:


Procedure 6 :
Deposit registration documents at the One-Stop Shop
Time to Complete (days) 3
Comments: The applicant sumbits all company documents at the front desk to register with the RCCM, apply for publication of a notice of the formation of the company, purchase legal stamps fand register company act and request Numero d'Identification Nationale (NINA).


Procedure 7 :
File a demande d'immatriculation d'un employeur for the company, and for every worker file a bulletin d'embauche, with the Institut National de Prevoyance Sociale (INPS)
Time to Complete (days) 1
Comments: The social security insurance program provides pension and insurance for health and workplace accidents or illnesses.


Procedure 8 :
File with the Direction Nationale du Travail every contract with every employee.
Time to Complete (days) 1
Comments: Inspections are random and are not organized by the company.