Sector/Thematic Studies

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http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2110

Economic and Sectoral Work are original analytic reports authored by the World Bank and intended to influence programs and policy in client countries. They convey Bank-endorsed recommendations and represent the formal opinion of a World Bank unit on the topic. This set includes the sectoral and thematic studies which are not Core Diagnostic Studies. Other analytic and advisory activities (AAA), including technical assistance studies, are included in these sectoral/thematic collections.

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ASEAN Capacity for Vaccine Research and Development and Production: Thailand Country Case Study

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-16) World Bank

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the ASEAN region, which has recorded over 27 million cases of the virus. Access to COVID-19 vaccination has significantly reduced the spread of the disease and limited the number of severe COVID-19 cases, but it has also impacted routine immunization coverage. Countless strategies have been developed to ensure vaccine equity, which were swiftly translated from political assessment to practical action; however, they failed to address the sustained growth of the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of variants of concerns, requiring ongoing vaccine booster doses. The pandemic revealed weaknesses in ASEAN's regional vaccine capacity, including in research and development, manufacturing infrastructure and human resources, which made the region particularly vulnerable during COVID-19 surges, as it was highly dependent on vaccine imports. Despite the existence of an established framework for ASEAN collaboration on vaccines, there has been minimal coordination between member states to collectively procure COVID-19 vaccines. Initial consultations with various stakeholders involved in vaccination and equitable access in the ASEAN region highlighted several gaps related to ensuring a sustained supply of quality vaccines throughout the life cycle, as well as several critical areas that require immediate attention. The political commitment to address these issues has been shaped by the evolving pandemic scenarios. The ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance (AVSSR) initiative was launched just before the COVID-19 pandemic began and was agreed upon and endorsed by the region's ten leaders during the 34th ASEAN Summit in November 2019. Future regional strategies, policies and plans must ensure consistency with this important ASEAN initiative.
ASEAN Capacity for Vaccine Research and Development and Production: Malaysia Country Case Study

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-16) World Bank

COVID-19 has devastated the ASEAN region, threatening two decades of human and economic development gains. With a population of more than 600 million, the region has reported more than 13 million COVID-19 cases as of October 2021, with Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand leading in number of confirmed cases. In the absence of effective treatment options, vaccination and preventative behaviors remain cornerstones for ASEAN governments to stop COVID-19’s spread, save lives, and revive economies. Despite rapid innovation and development of mRNA, viral vector, and protein subunit vaccine technology platforms, low and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to struggle to access vaccines. ASEAN countries have remained net importers of essential vaccines, notwithstanding strong potential for local research and manufacture. Consequently, COVID-19 vaccination coverage varies widely, ranging from 10 percent in Myanmar to 80 percent in Singapore. These disparities render the region vulnerable to new variants, surges, and vaccine escape. To contain COVID-19 and respond to future pandemics, ASEAN must build strong regional capacity to develop, test, and scale up manufacture of vaccines, building on country-level strengths and avoiding duplication. Galvanizing ASEAN vaccine development and manufacturing efforts aligns with the November 2019 declaration of ASEAN leaders on regional vaccine security and self-reliance.
Regional Vaccine Manufacturing and Development: Indonesia Country Case Study

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-16) World Bank

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the ASEAN region, which has recorded over 27 million cases of the virus. Despite rapid development of a range of COVID-19 vaccines using innovative technologies, access to these vaccines has been a challenge, with manufacturing mostly concentrated in the US and Europe for high-value mRNA vaccines, and China and India for traditional platforms and high-volume production. Countries with domestic COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity prioritized domestic vaccine requirements over foreign needs, putting countries with limited production capabilities at a disadvantage. ASEAN countries, which overall have made limited investments in research and development of vaccines and biologicals, were highly dependent on imports, resulting in heightened vulnerability during COVID-19 surges. Despite the existence of an established framework for ASEAN coordination on vaccines, there has been minimal coordination between member states to collectively procure COVID-19 vaccines. Consequently, ASEAN countries have experienced a common set of challenges in navigating the complex global vaccine market to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination. Leaders of ASEAN member states have recognized the need for the region to be self-sufficient in vaccine research and manufacturing to effectively address future pandemics and build regional vaccine security. ASEAN must build regional capacity to develop, test efficacy, and scale up manufacture of vaccines, building on existing country-level strengths and avoiding duplication. While some evidence on regional vaccine manufacturing capacity for ASEAN exists, there has been limited research on the technical, operational, financing and strategic partnership opportunities that exist in the region and might be leveraged to advance regional vaccine security. To address this knowledge gap, the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO) and the World Bank initiated the ASEAN Vaccine Development and Manufacturing Research Project. This project complements the ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance (AVSSR) Initiative and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) 2021 plan, and supports the November 2019 declaration of ASEAN leaders on regional vaccine security and self-reliance.
ASEAN Vaccine Manufacturing Research Project: Philippines Country Case Study

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-06-16) World Bank

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the ASEAN region, which has recorded over 27 million cases of the virus. Despite rapid development of a range of COVID-19 vaccines using innovative technologies, access to these vaccines has been a challenge, with manufacturing mostly concentrated in the US and Europe for high-value mRNA vaccines, and China and India for traditional platforms and high-volume production. Countries with domestic COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity prioritized domestic vaccine requirements over foreign needs, putting countries with limited production capabilities at a disadvantage. ASEAN countries, which overall have made limited investments in research and development of vaccines and biologicals, were highly dependent on imports, resulting in heightened vulnerability during COVID 19 surges. Despite the existence of an established framework for ASEAN coordination on vaccines, there has been minimal coordination between member states to collectively procure COVID-19 vaccines. Consequently, ASEAN countries have experienced a common set of challenges in navigating the complex global vaccine market to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination. Leaders of ASEAN member states have recognized the need for the region to be self-sufficient in vaccine research and manufacturing to effectively address future pandemics and build regional vaccine security. ASEAN must build regional capacity to develop, test efficacy, and scale up manufacture of vaccines, building on existing country-level strengths and avoiding duplication.
Vietnam Country Case Study: ASEAN Vaccine Development and Manufacturing Research Project

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-05-29) World Bank

This regional analytical activity will contribute to knowledge on the technical, operational, and financial viability and strategic partnership required among ASEAN countries to strengthen coordinated investments on the vaccine value chain. The ASA has three major activities: i) A deep-dive public sector technical assessment of country and regional level vaccine security, including gaps and opportunities across the value chain from R&D to last mile distribution; ii) A private sector value chain analysis covering upstream and downstream aspects of vaccine manufacturing; and iii) An economic analysis examining the feasibility of coordinated investments across countries to leverage comparative advantage in specific aspects of the vaccine value chain.
Improving Behavioral Change Interventions: A Closer Look at 4Ps Family and Youth Development Sessions

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-04-10) Rodriguez, Ruth ; Revilla, MA. LAARNI

An important component of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the flagship conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Philippines, is the delivery of complementary services such as Family Development Sessions (FDS) and Youth Development Sessions (YDS) to program beneficiaries. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, these were regular face-to-face sessions providing practical information on topics such as parenting, early childhood care, and disaster preparedness to adult beneficiaries and guidance on adolescent dynamics to young children in 4Ps households, with the overall aim of promoting positive behavioral changes. This technical note examines the process undertaken to enhance and align the content of the FDS and YDS based on the 4Ps law that mandates a maximum 7-year operational period, and it discusses feedback and insights from beneficiaries and implementers. Moreover, it considers the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns, which have led to mobility restrictions among beneficiaries and implementers since March 2020. Due to the pandemic, the delivery of FDS have relied mostly on broadcast and social media platforms, with options for small group neighborhood sessions in areas with low rates of COVID-19 infections, while YDS have been mostly suspended due to school closures nationwide, without in-person gathering. For a more effective delivery of these learning sessions, this policy note proposes key recommendations on adapting to future shocks and emerging beneficiary needs, developing strategic communications, mobilizing resources, strengthening monitoring and evaluation, and connecting to core values. In particular, it proposes regular updating of module content to maintain relevance and applicability, strengthening alternative modes of program delivery to increase coverage, providing training to facilitators to improve capacity, raising awareness to increase program uptake, creating a clear monitoring and evaluation system to track progress, leveraging the use of technology, and providing post-program exit support to sustain positive behavioral changes among beneficiaries.
Timor-Leste Economic Report: Investing in the Next Generation

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-06-28) World Bank

Buffeted by COVID-19 and Tropical Cyclone Seroja, the non-oil economy grew by 1.5 percent in 2021. A record-high budget with expenditure of nearly 90 percent of GDP bolstered government consumption. A series of fiscal and quasi-fiscal stimulus measures supported employment and incomes, thereby allowing households to maintain their consumption. On the demand side, gross capital formation shrunk while net exports expanded. The oil economy grew by 8.3 percent, bringing the total economic growth to 4.4 percent.1 The government lifted the pandemic-related state of emergency at the end of November 2021, but challenges remain. Following a relatively brisk start, the vaccination campaign has moved sluggishly in recentmonths. Nevertheless, the authorities have initiated vaccination of children and adolescents between 12 and 18 years old, while booster shots have been made available. There has been a concerning surge of Dengue Fever with 5,000 reported cases (and 54 fatalities) to date since January 2022‒a more than seven-fold increase from the same period a year ago. All restrictions for inbound international vaccinated travelers to Timor-Leste havebeen rescinded. By the end of May 2022, the partly vaccinated and fully vaccinated figures in Timor-Leste stood at 85.4 percent and 73.4 percent, respectively.
Malaysia Economic Monitor - Catching Up: Inclusive Recovery Growth for Lagging States

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-06-13) World Bank

Global growth slowed markedly in H1 2022. This was due to COVID-19 resurgences at the turn of the year; protracted supply disruptions; reduced macroeconomic support; and substantial negative spillovers from the war in Ukraine. The conflict, which has sparked the largest commodity price shock in 50 years, has exacerbated the increasingly difficult policy tradeoffs between supporting growth and managing price pressures. It has contributed to tightening in global financial conditions, increased financial market volatility and higher borrowing costs, particularly in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs).
Malaysia - Assessment of the Start-Up Financing Ecosystem

(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-02-28) Kuriakose, Smita ; Fong, Kristina Siew Leng ; Loh, John Jaan Hui ; Zakaria, Mohamad Izwan Bin

In the context of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its impact on Malaysia's economy, the need to foster the emergence of an innovation-led economy has taken on increasing urgency. Public-sector involvement in the early-stage financing phase of the ecosystem is integral to crowding-in private investments, as seen by the impact of the establishment of government-sponsored venture capital (VC) funds in several small OECD countries, including Estonia and Finland. In turn, improved access to finance at the initial stages of a start-up and the crowding in of private capital will play a pivotal role in strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem. The government has devised a number of developmental roadmaps that emphasize the greater use of alternative forms of financing, such as VC and digital platform based models, including peer-to-peer financing (P2P) and equity crowdfunding (ECF). These strategies are an integral part of the government's strategies for maintaining growth as Malaysia achieves high-income nation status. This study aims to identify the financing gaps in Malaysia's start-up financing ecosystem and to propose specific policy levers to address the identified constraints on both the availability of and access to early-stage financing.
Myanmar Economic Monitor, January 2022: Contending with Constraints

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-01) World Bank

Myanmar’s economy continues to be severely tested by the ongoing impacts of the military coup and the surge in COVID-19 cases in 2021. While some real-time indicators have improved in recent months, they remain consistent with a much lower level of economic activity than prior to the February coup. Reported COVID-19 cases have fallen to low levels (and few reported cases of the Omicron variant as of early January 2022), while real time indicators of mobility, manufacturing activity, and exports are showing signs of recovering. On the other hand, indicators of conflict suggest that the security environment has deteriorated in many parts of Myanmar, including in states and regions which have historically been relatively peaceful. This has affected businesses’ operations, logistics, confidence, and appetite to invest. After the sharp decline in incomes and employment observed across the economy, available indicators suggest domestic demand remains very weak. At the same time, supply-side constraints persist and some have worsened in recent months. Access to kyat liquidity, credit, and foreign currency remains severely constrained. A sharp exchange rate depreciation in September 2021 has raised import prices across the economy, including of fuel and other critical inputs to production, increasing transport costs. Electricity outages are a growing concern and internet disruptions continue to reduce the reliability of firms’ and households’ connectivity and ability to access information and connect with markets (see Part III: Digital Disruptions and Economic Impacts).