Other Infrastructure Study
347 items available
Permanent URI for this collection
Items in this collection
1 - 10 of 19
-
Publication
Egypt: Enabling Private Investment and Commercial Financing in Infrastructure
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-12-01)In 2016 the Government of Egypt (GoE) has embarked on an ambitious and much needed transition towards a better economic policy. While the macroeconomic stability and market confidence have been largely restored, the overall fiscal situation remains challenging. With limited fiscal space, solely relying on public resources to fund infrastructure investments, will no longer be a viable strategy to meet the country's needs. Building on the success of attracting private investment in renewables and natural gas sector, there is significant potential for replicating the success across other infrastructure sectors. Egypt has recognized that in order to raise competitiveness, increase investments in human capital, and sustain the benefits of the homegrown reform; it will need to continuously shift its development model towards creating an enabling environment for the private sector to invest more, export more and generate more jobs. Starting with Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation and Agriculture, this report highlights the tremendous potential and opportunities available in each of these sectors. Additionally, it also presents a roadmap for sectoral transformation, whilst highlighting the cross-cutting enabling and functional activities required to facilitate this transition. -
Publication
Georgia Economic Impact of East-West Highway Phase 2: Assessing the Impact of East-West Highway Investments on Exports through Gravity Modeling
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-06-27)The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the East-West Highway improvement program on Georgia’s ability to access international markets. As highlighted extensively in the literature, improving transport infrastructure and the efficiency of the logistics sector can help countries gain competitiveness in international export markets, which can translate into faster economic growth and higher income. This study hypothesizes that investments in the EWH have reduced the cost of shipping Georgian goods to the rest of the world, and such reductions should be more significant for goods transported by road. To estimate the effect of cost reductions generated by improvements in the EWH, a gravity-type model in first-differences has been estimated. The results show that: (i) a 10 percent increase in the length of upgraded road network predicts a 1.1 percent increase in exports transported by road while no significant effect is estimated for exports on other transport modes (rail, sea, and air); (ii) the resulting increase in exports by road was reflected by a decrease in exports transported by sea; (iii) the effect is statistically and economically significant only for customs offices located along the EWH; (iv) only exports of time-sensitive products responded positively and significantly to improvements in the EWH during the 2006-2015 period; (v) upgrading the entire EWH is estimated to generate additional export revenues between USD 776 million and USD 1,466 million. It is important to note that the overall trade generating effect of the investment is expected to be somewhat lower as the results suggest some substitution between road and sea transport, but the overall impact is a significant boost to exports. -
Publication
Regional Impacts of High Speed Rail in China : Spatial Proximity and Productivity in an Emerging Economy
(World Bank, Beijing, 2013-06-30)This paper contains an initial reconnaissance of the situation in Yunfu, prior to the NanGuang project construction. It provides a brief overview of the trajectory of economic development in Yunfu from an economy that was dominated by primary industries to that by secondary industries. The development of local transport infrastructure is reviewed, as is the more detailed structure of local industries, with special emphasis on dominant industrial sectors and the planned industrial parks. The experience of high speed rail development impact elsewhere was drawn upon to reflect on the possible regional economic outcomes that might emerge following the opening of the Nanning-Guangzhou high speed rail. The structure of and the approach to a before and after monitoring study is considered. The remainder of the paper is divided into six parts. Part two gives a brief overview of the economic development in Yunfu municipality since its establishment in 1994. Part three describes local transport links and infrastructure. Part four provides a description of the internal structure of local industries, with special emphasis on the dominant industrial sectors and the planned industrial parks. Part five discusses possible regional economic impacts associated with the forthcoming high-speed rail line and part six summarizes a proposal for the next steps. -
Publication
Regional Impacts of High Speed Rail in China : Baseline Report for a Case Study of Yunfu in Guangdong Province
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-06-30)This paper contains an initial reconnaissance of the situation in Yunfu, prior to the NanGuang project construction. It provides a brief overview of the trajectory of economic development in Yunfu from an economy that was dominated by primary industries to that by secondary industries. The development of local transport infrastructure is reviewed, as is the more detailed structure of local industries, with special emphasis on dominant industrial sectors and the planned industrial parks. The experience of high speed rail development impact elsewhere was drawn upon to reflect on the possible regional economic outcomes that might emerge following the opening of the Nanning-Guangzhou high speed rail. The structure of and the approach to a before and after monitoring study is considered. The remainder of the paper is divided into six parts. Part two gives a brief overview of the economic development in Yunfu municipality since its establishment in 1994. Part three describes local transport links and infrastructure. Part four provides a description of the internal structure of local industries, with special emphasis on the dominant industrial sectors and the planned industrial parks. Part five discusses possible regional economic impacts associated with the forthcoming high-speed rail line and part six summarizes a proposal for the next steps. -
Publication
Deforestation Trends in the Congo Basin : Transport
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-04)The Congo Basin is among the most poorly served areas in terms of transport infrastructure in the world, and it faces a challenging environment with dense tropical forests crisscrossed by numerous rivers that require construction of numerous bridges. Given such complexities, constructing transport infrastructure as well as properly maintaining it is certainly a key challenge for the Congo Basin countries. Recent studies indicate that investment required per kilometer of new roads is substantially higher than in other regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the same applies for maintenance. The physical capital of transport infrastructure is deteriorated in the Congo Basin. The ratio of classify roads in good and fair conditions range from 25 percent in Republic of Congo to 68 percent in the Central African Republic, which is globally lower than the average for low-income countries (LICs) and resource-rich countries. Other transportation assets (railways and river system) are also limited: the railway network is essentially a legacy of the colonial era and mainly used for mineral transportation, while the river system is basically only marginal. -
Publication
Zambia Wildlife Sector Policy : Situation Analysis and Recommendations for a Future Policy
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05)Zambia is endowed with an abundance of natural resources that include, water, forests and wildlife. The country's wildlife resources are managed through government-supported National Parks and Game Management Areas (GMAs) and private sector game ranches. The main objective of this wildlife sector policy review is to consolidate the findings collected from an extensive bibliography published during the life of the current policy, and the analysis of key sector practitioners. The second objective is to analyze these findings with a view to formulating broad recommendations to inform the design of the new vision and new policy of the sector. This document aims to identify policy issues that would provide a basis for the creation of an enabling environment for the development of the wildlife sector as a growth sector according to the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) and the vision 2030. It contains five provisional priority recommendations that offer practical solutions and six strategic options which constitute policy objectives. In conclusion, an improvement of the policy framework could have a large impact on how people and wildlife relate and coexist in Zambia. This policy review confirmed that, while important policy measures are necessary, particularly for shared growth, the adoption of a forward looking wildlife policy and act will not be sufficient if it is not accompanied by unequivocal willingness on the part of Government to reorganize and strengthen Zambia Wildlife Authority's (ZAWA's) capacity and provide financing commensurate to its need. -
Publication
Making Benefit Sharing Arrangements Work for Forest-dependent Communities : Overview of Insights for REDD+ Initiatives
(Program on Forests (PROFOR), Washington, DC, 2012-02)This overview paper positions the question of benefit sharing in the context of REDD plus. It shares findings from a cursory review of a sample of Readiness Preparation Proposals (RPP) for REDD plus submitted to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). It deconstructs the concept of benefit sharing. It also provides a summary of the main findings from three recent studies on benefit sharing that were financed by the Program on Forests (PROFOR). The PROFOR studies build on existing research. They also use primary and secondary data collected from a literature review, key informant interviews, structured surveys, and case studies. The studies: a) explore the substantive legal issues and procedural options for identifying legitimate and intended beneficiaries in situations where rights are unclear; b) provide information and tools to assist policy makers and development partners to design and develop nationally appropriate arrangements for transferring REDD plus benefits; and c) provide the local partners' perspective on benefit sharing and the process involved in determining benefits and establishing arrangements for sharing the benefits. -
Publication
Making Benefit Sharing Arrangements Work for Forest-dependent Communities : Insights for REDD+ Initiatives
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012)As donors pledge growing support for protecting and managing forests to address climate change, the question of how to pay tropical countries to reduce their emissions from deforestation and forest degradation assumes greater urgency. Depending on the detailed implementation of REDD plus at a national and international level, forest nations may be able to secure funding from a range of sources, including donors and multilateral funds (a funded approach) and the voluntary and compliance carbon markets (a carbon markets-based approach). These payments are supposed to act as financial incentives that will engender changes in behavior and policy frameworks, spur the development of appropriate institutional arrangements and needed technologies, and motivate both national and international coordination to achieve REDD plus objectives. These pages provide a brief synthesis of four papers financed by the Program on Forests (PROFOR). All four papers are included in a CD enclosed at the end of this booklet. The papers are: making benefit sharing arrangements work for forest-dependent people: overview of insights for REDD plus Initiative (Chandrasekharan Behr, 2012); identifying and working with beneficiaries when rights are unclear (Bruce, 2012); assessing options for effective mechanisms to share benefits (PwC, 2012); and benefit sharing in practice. -
Publication
Powering Up Productivity in Rural Lao PDR : Stimulating Small and Medium Enterprises to Use Electricity for Income Generation
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-06)This study s broad goal was to identify opportunities for promoting productive uses of electricity in existing as well as among new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the rural villages of Lao PDR to generate income for rural people and promote economic development. To this end, the study team conducted a market analysis of current businesses and services, as well as major agro-processing and other income-generating activities in (i) six selected central and southern provinces connected to grid-based electricity and (ii) 10 rural villages of a remote northern district that rely on renewable energy based, off-grid power supply. Based on the survey results, the study team identified opportunities for the SMEs to switch to or adopt electricity for productive purposes; major obstacles faced by the SME owners in utilizing electricity more fully; and suggested ways to overcome these barriers, including the facilitating role of EdL (Electricité du Laos, the country s national utility company. This study relied on a social marketing survey conducted in February 2011 as the primary data source. It also drew from literature reviews and information gathered from government agencies and international organizations. Three sets of field surveys were conducted. The first set focused on rural villages with access to grid electricity whose main crop is rice; the surveys covered three central (Bolikhamxai, Khammouan, and Savannakhet) and three southern (Salavan, Champasak, and Attapue) provinces. The second set focused on rural villages with access to grid electricity whose main crop is coffee; the surveys covered the same three southern provinces (Salavan, Champasak, and Attapue). Finally, the third set focused on 10 rural villages in the Muang Mai district of Phongsaly province (Sobnaon, Houayvangkao, Nakang, Houaychik, Naxong, Sobhoun, NamNga, Xongneua, Sensaat, Nakham), which are served by an isolated grid system -
Publication
Romania - Functional Review : Research, Development and Innovation Sector
(Washington, DC, 2011-05)A functional review by the World Bank of Romania's research, development and innovation (RD&I) sector has been commissioned by the Government of Romania and the European Commission as part of a broader assessment of the public administration contribution to the country's growth and continued convergence with the EU. The objective of the Review is to propose actions over the short to medium term to tangibly strengthen effectiveness and efficiency in the RD&I sector. This report is based on extensive literature research and data analysis, as well as three missions to Bucharest in January, March, and April 2011, during which the World Bank team met with representatives from a variety of public, private, and academic institutions and conducted a workshop with major stakeholders to review report findings. This final report -- prepared in collaboration with the World Bank Higher Education Review team and the EC's DG Research and Innovation -- presents observations and recommendations for consideration by the Government. The Review suggests that Romania's RD&I sector is in a silent crisis, with seriously negative implications for the country's longer term competitiveness and growth prospects.