Other Financial Accountability Study

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https://hdl.handle.net/10986/2186

Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa, home to more than 1 billion people, half of whom will be under 25 years old by 2050, is a diverse ...

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Supreme Audit Institutions’ Use of Information Technology Globally for More Efficient and Effective Audits
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-18) World Bank
Supreme audit institutions (SAIs) recognize the benefits of using technology to improve the quality and impact of their audits. This benefit has further intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic; SAIs with existing technology capacity have continued to perform their role effectively and efficiently. The paper explores how at a global level SAIs are using technology to perform more efficient and more effective audits. It provides a brief overview of how some SAIs are harnessing the possibilities created by advances in technology to develop new, innovative audit methods and procedures. It also seeks to identify the factors inhibiting other SAIs in particular SAIs in developing countries from implementing and using audit methods based on information technology (IT). Against this background, the paper suggests ways in which the World Bank, working with other stakeholders, can facilitate the more extensive and more effective use of IT-based tools and methods by SAIs. The impact of COVID-19 has introduced a new important consideration: namely, how IT has helped some SAIs respond with agility and resilience to the unprecedented and completely unforeseen circumstances created by the pandemic.
South Africa Financial Ombud System Diagnostic
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-06-10) World Bank
The Finance, Competitiveness and Innovation Global Practice of the World Bank Group (WBG) aims to help countries build financial systems that are deep, diversified, inclusive, efficient, and stable essential to promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and increasing shared prosperity. One core activity is supporting national authorities to achieve their objectives for financial inclusion, by supporting policy, legal, regulatory, and supervisory reforms in areas such as financial consumer protection, including financial-sector alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Through the South Africa Financial Sector Development and Reform Program, the WBG is supporting the national reform process, which includes achieving an efficient and effective ADR system, so that financial customers can hold financial institutions to account if there is a dispute. This diagnostic review valuates the current financial-sector Ombud system in South Africa, Compares it against international good practice, and recommends reforms to provide good-quality outcomes and good value for money for the future.
Mozambique PFM for Results Program : Technical Assessment
(Washington, DC, 2014-01) World Bank
The discovery of large natural resource reserves in Mozambique has raised expectations of increased economic growth, improved public services and poverty reduction. However, the majority of the population has benefited little from growth in recent years, and may be skeptical that the potential for increased government revenues will translate into improved services. The development potential of future natural resource revenues will partially depend on stronger PFM systems, as well as political commitment to broad based social and economic development. A gap between political rhetoric and improvements in the everyday lives of the population may fuel potential for social unrest. Similarly, changing development partner circumstances (both funding constraints and changing modalities) and perceptions of Mozambique s development trajectory may lead to a drop in the levels of assistance, in advance of actual increases in revenue (it is still some years before natural resources will reach market). The Government needs to respond to both popular expectations and a changing partner environment. This creates a window of opportunity to increase government focus on the effective management of public resources and improved service delivery.
Mozambique Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12) World Bank
The review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional policy and regulatory framework in two segments of the financial sector: banking and non-bank credit institutions. The mission took place in response to a specific request for technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by the central bank, the Banco de Moçambique (BdM), in November 2011. As agreed with the BdM, the assessment has focused on bank and non-bank entities within Mozambique’s financial sector that provide financial products and services to consumers, including microfinance, with a particular focus on credit reporting and on financial awareness. Volume one summarizes the key findings and recommendations of the review and volume two presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. Volume two also includes annexes that analyze and provide more detailed recommendations on credit reporting and financial education, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Mozambique. The key findings and recommendations presented in this report cover six areas: institutional arrangements, legal and regulatory framework, disclosure, business practices, dispute resolution mechanisms, and financial education.
Mozambique Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-12) World Bank
The review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional policy and regulatory framework in two segments of the financial sector: banking and non-bank credit institutions. The mission took place in response to a specific request for technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by the central bank, the Banco de Moçambique (BdM), in November 2011. As agreed with the BdM, the assessment has focused on bank and non-bank entities within Mozambique’s financial sector that provide financial products and services to consumers, including microfinance, with a particular focus on credit reporting and on financial awareness. Volume one summarizes the key findings and recommendations of the review and volume two presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. Volume two also includes annexes that analyze and provide more detailed recommendations on credit reporting and financial education, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Mozambique. The key findings and recommendations presented in this report cover six areas: institutional arrangements, legal and regulatory framework, disclosure, business practices, dispute resolution mechanisms, and financial education.
Republic of Zambia Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-10) World Bank
The Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy in Zambia was conducted at the request of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) and covered: i) banking; ii) non-bank financial institutions; iii) insurance; iv) pensions; and v) securities. The objectives of the Review were to compare the existing legal and regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, and market practices to good practices and provide recommendations to enhance financial consumer protection and financial literacy in Zambia. The Review consists of two Volumes. Volume I summarizes the key findings and recommendations and Volume II presents a detailed assessment of each of the covered sectors compared to the Good Practices.
Republic of Zambia Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-10) World Bank
The Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy in Zambia was conducted at the request of the Bank of Zambia (BoZ) and covered: i) banking; ii) non-bank financial institutions; iii) insurance; iv) pensions; and v) securities. The objectives of the Review were to compare the existing legal and regulatory framework, institutional arrangements, and market practices to good practices and provide recommendations to enhance financial consumer protection and financial literacy in Zambia. The Review consists of two Volumes. Volume I summarizes the key findings and recommendations and Volume II presents a detailed assessment of each of the covered sectors compared to the Good Practices. The key findings and recommendations presented in Volume I cover six areas: i) legal and regulatory framework; ii) institutional arrangements; iii) consumer disclosure; iv) business practices; v) dispute resolution mechanisms; and vi) financial education.
Malawi Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05) World Bank
According to FinScope surveys in 2008 and 2014, the number of financially included adult Malawians grew from 45 percent to 49 percent, and the proportion of adults using formal banking services expanded from 19 percent to 27 percent. These significant improvements were achieved based on Malawi’s Financial Sector Development Strategy for 2010-2015 that identified consumer protection and financial literacy as priorities in developing a financial sector that supports inclusive and sustainable growth. In 2012 the World Bank conducted a diagnostic review in Malawi that aimed to highlight the progress made, compare Malawi’s legal and institutional frameworks with international benchmarks, and provide a series of concrete recommendations. Although key initial steps have been taken in financial consumer protection, especially at the institutional level, Malawi is still at an early stage of development in this area, based on international good practices. Volume 1 of this report focuses on Key Findings and Recommendations from the review. Volume 2 presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. It also includes annexes that analyze and provides recommendations on credit reporting, mobile banking services and private pension funds, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Malawi.
Malawi Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy: Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05) World Bank
According to FinScope surveys in 2008 and 2014, the number of financially included adult Malawians grew from 45 percent to 49 percent, and the proportion of adults using formal banking services expanded from 19 percent to 27 percent. These significant improvements were achieved based on Malawi’s financial sector development strategy for 2010-2015 that identified consumer protection and financial literacy as priorities in developing a financial sector that supports inclusive and sustainable growth. In 2012 the World Bank conducted a diagnostic review in Malawi that aimed to highlight the progress made, compare Malawi’s legal and institutional frameworks with international benchmarks, and provide a series of concrete recommendations. Although key initial steps have been taken in financial consumer protection, especially at the institutional level, Malawi is still at an early stage of development in this area, based on international good practices. Volume 1 of this report focuses on key findings and recommendations from the review. Volume 2 presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared to the good practices. It also includes annexes that analyze and provides recommendations on credit reporting, mobile banking services and private pension funds, and a description of the overall legal and institutional frameworks for financial consumer protection in Malawi.
South Africa Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection in Non-Credit Financial Services: Key Findings and Recommendations
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-12) World Bank
The consumer financial services sector in South Africa is among the most sophisticated in the world, yet nearly 40 percent of the population, especially blacks, use no formal financial services. The now ubiquitous mobile phones are dramatically changing the landscape of digital financial services but weak financial literacy and general literacy of the underserved population remain the Achilles Heel. At the same time, weak competition in the South African financial services sector is an issue – just 4 banks control over 80 percent of retail banking and over 90 percent of personal transactions, maintaining rates and fees above competitive levels. The 2010 FinScope survey found that consumer trust was higher in informal financial institutions than in the formal ones such as banks. The South African Government has embarked on a substantive program of improving the financial sector legislation and establishing a full market conduct regulator. Presented in two volumes, this World Bank’s review compares the South African framework for financial consumer protection (FCP) to international practice and provides recommendations to strengthen it. Volume I summarizes South Africa’s FCP policies, describes the recent surveys, and sets out the key findings and recommendations of the Review. Volume II provides an assessment of banking, securities, insurance, and private pensions segments and discusses the key issues in retail payments and remittances and financial education.