The World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
The World Bank Open Knowledge Repository (OKR) is The World Bank’s official open access repository for its research outputs and knowledge products.
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Total publications: 38,114
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Publication Toward Building Somalia’s Social Contract: State Affordability, Revenue Mobilization, and Service Delivery in a Nascent Federal State(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-06) World BankState building and state legitimacy in the states emerging from fragility are inseparable from the notion of social contract. In the countries where the youth only know statelessness—or a complete absence of state institutions—building a new social contract from the ground up becomes an even stronger imperative. What can citizens legitimately expect from the state Should the state provide only the basics—security and observance of social order—or should it also be involved in the provision of broader public goods and services, such as infrastructure, clean water, public health, and education These questions are inextricably linked to the questions of what is affordable. Most fragile states, given the destruction of state institutions and processes, suffer from very low tax capacity and hence feeble revenue collection and rely disproportionately on often unpredictable donor funds. Yet the ability of the state to collect revenue is also linked to the fiscal bargain side of the social contract. For citizens, paying taxes hinges on the trust that public funds will be translated into key public goods and services. Higher trust means higher willingness to pay taxes. Social contract is a dynamic agreement between the state and society, delineating mutual roles and responsibilities that are continuously renegotiated based on changing capacities and expectations. It is also understood as an implicit agreement where the state provides security and public goods in exchange for citizens’ compliance and support. This concept serves as a framework for understanding how states gain legitimacy, maintain social order, and deliver public goods such as justice, security, and development—supporting an understanding of the local context and the need for tailored approaches to strengthen the social contract in different contexts. While this volume examines the dynamics of building Somalia’s social contract, it does not delve into the nature of the bargaining interfaces but rather explores the outcomes of the social contract, including the state’s capacity for revenue mobilization and service delivery through its multiple administrative units. Importantly, it provides information on how the alignment of expectations between the state and society and outcomes has evolved over the past few years.Publication Making Procurement Work Better – An Evaluation of the World Bank’s Procurement System(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-06) World BankThis evaluation assesses the results, successes, and challenges of the World Bank 2016 procurement reform. Procurements acquire the works, goods, and services necessary to achieve the World Bank’s project development outcomes. The World Bank’s procurement processes must ensure that clients get the best value for every development dollar. In 2016, the World Bank reformed its procurement system for Investment Project Financing and launched a new procurement framework aimed at enhancing the Bank’s development effectiveness through better procurement. The reform sought to reduce procurement bottlenecks impeding project performance and modernize procurement systems. It emphasized cutting edge international good practice principles and was intended to be accompanied by procurement capacity strengthening to help client countries. This evaluation offers three recommendations to scale up reform implementation and enhance portfolio and project performance: (i) Improve change management support for the reform’s implementation. (ii) Strategically strengthen country-level procurement capacity. (iii) Consistently manage the full spectrum of procurement risks to maximize project success.Publication Lebanon Interim Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA): Assessment Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-06) World BankThis report presents the findings of an interim Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) conducted by the World Bank to assess the impact of the conflict affecting Lebanon. As of November 7, 2024, the conflict has reportedly claimed the lives of 3,102 individuals in Lebanon, injured 13,8191 and resulted in the displacement of over 1.3 million people. The DaLA estimates sectoral damage that has occurred between October 8, 2023, and October 27, 2024 (inclusive), for commerce, health, housing, and tourism and hospitality, and between October 8, 2023, and September 27, 2024 (inclusive), for agriculture and environment. For these sectors, along with education, it also estimates sectoral losses for a period of 12 months based on damage incurred, displacement, and other sector specific transmission channels as of these same cut-off dates. In addition to the damage and loss assessment, the report presents a complementary analysis of the impact of the conflict on Lebanon’s economic growth as measured through its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It also covers an analysis of key displacement patternsPublication Viet Nam 2045: Trading up in a Changing World – Pathways to a High-Income Future(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-06) World BankSection 1 analyzes the crucial role trade played in Viet Nam’s rapid industrialization and development over the last three decades. Section 2 highlights the emerging constraints to the current export-driven model. Section 3 discusses the fundamental shifts in the global environment that shape both opportunities and risks for Viet Nam. Section 4 identifies policy packages to upgrade Viet Nam’s participation in global value chains and specific policies needed to realize them. Section 5 examines policies to manage the economic transformation and ensure that no one is left behind. A summary of policy recommendations is provided at the end of the reportPublication Cambodia’s Regional Connectivity: Unlocking the Full Potential of Transport Corridors(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-12-06) World BankCambodia’s export-driven growth has resulted in increased freight demand. Containerized import and export cargo movement has increased more than five-fold over the past 12 years. By 2030, it is expected that trade volumes moving along highways and through ports, airports, and warehouses will double. However, high transport and logistics costs are major bottlenecks to Cambodia’s economic competitiveness and diversification. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) developed the Comprehensive Intermodal Transport and Logistics System (CITLS) Master Plan for 2023–2033 to support improving the performance and efficiency of the transport sector and supporting the achievement of the national development objectives as defined in the RGC’s Pentagonal Strategy Phase 1. However, many of the projects put forward in the CITLS are in the conceptual phase requiring further technical studies and prioritization prior to securing financing from the public and private sectors. This report prepared by the World Bank team aims to complement the RGC’s efforts by focusing on immediate investments and policy actions to unlock opportunities along the existing transport corridors in Cambodia. The analysis and proposals described in this report focus on the short to medium-term priorities. By providing alternative insights on the role and performance of the existing roads, waterways and maritime transport, railways, and cross-border trade facilitation the report is designed to complement the CITLS. Throughout the course of this study, stakeholder consultations were conducted with involved public sector institutions and major private sector players in freight transportation and logistics.