Sector/Thematic Studies

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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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Now showing 1 - 10 of 151
  • Publication
    Taking Stock, August 2023: Making Public Investment Work for Growth
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-08-10) World Bank
    The latest Taking Stock report shows that Vietnam’s economic growth slowed from 8% in 2022 to 3.7% in the first half of 2023. It forecasts a moderate growth of 4.7% in 2023, gradually accelerating to 5.5% in 2024 and 6.0% in 2025. However, the economy faces external and domestic headwinds. Vietnam has ample fiscal space and a proactive fiscal policy supporting short-term demand, removing barriers to the implementation of public investment, and addressing infrastructure constraints can help the economy achieve these targets and promote long-term growth. The report’s special chapter studies Vietnam’s public investment management and how it can contribute to the goal of becoming a high income economy. To harness the power of public investment, the report recommends that Vietnam sustain its level of investment, improve the quality of the proposed project, and address deficiencies in public investment management and inter-governmental fiscal institutions.
  • Publication
    Special Economic Zones and Industrial Parks in South Asia: An Assessment of Their Regulatory Structures
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-11-10) Galal, Rami
    This paper reviews the policies and regulations for special economic zones and other spatial development modalities in the countries within proximity of the Eastern Corridor in South Asia, and it assesses whether those policies and regulations are effectively designed. The assessment finds mixed results. On the positive side, governments in these countries exhibit a strong political commitment to the zones’ success, providing them with dedicated policies of both fiscal incentives and regulatory concessions, combined with administrative simplification to help zone developers and tenant enterprises. However, these arrangements include some notable shortfalls. For example, some incentives are inconsistent with the zone objectives, violate some international regulations, or miss necessary business facilitation measures. Moreover, there is no mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of different incentives. Zone tenancy requirements are not always well specified, feasible, or consistent with zone objectives. As for the regulatory and institutional structures of zone programs, there are some common shortfalls, especially in terms of (a) clarity of zone objectives, (b) the roles of different agents, (c) the autonomy and inclusivity of those agents, and (d) the agents’ authority to carry out their responsibilities, and there are some shortfalls in the resources that agents need to manage operations effectively. To maximize the benefits from these zones, governments of the region could adopt reforms to ensure that incentives and tenancy requirements are aligned with zone objectives and that regulatory frameworks are clear, fair, and effective.
  • Publication
    Efficiency of Planning, Programming and Delivery of Social Protection Programs on Early Years
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-11-10) Sabbih, Moustafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline; Rahman, Aneeka
    Investing in children’s human capital is one of the most critical investments a country can make to break the cycle of poverty and reap the demographic dividend. It can support the productivity and competitiveness of the future workforce and thus affect the growth trajectory of the country. Adequate stimulation and nutrition, especially during the first years of life, is critical for children’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional growth and development. And children who are left behind in their formative years are often unable to reach strong learning outcomes. To maximize the impact of social protection programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in actual program delivery at the local level. This policy note analyses all four points based on the findings of the recent social protection public expenditure review, but with a particular focus on mother and child programs. It highlights areas where challenges remain and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
  • Publication
    The Evolving Role of the Planning Function: International Experience and Reform Options for India
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-11-01) World Bank
    This note presents the main trends in strategic planning across public sector administrations in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, South Korea, and Colombia. It was prepared in response to the Indian Government's interest in understanding the emerging trends in the evolution of strategic planning in a range of countries and effectively adapting this function across public administration at the national and subnational levels.
  • Publication
    Efficiency in the Delivery of Social Protection Benefits and Services to Beneficiaries
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    Most social protection agencies in Bangladesh do not invest enough in core processes of budgeting, management, enrolment, delivery and accountability. To maximize the impact of social protection (SP) programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and level of benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in the actual delivery of programs at the local level. This policy note analyses point (4), the processes of delivery of SP programs, including beneficiary identification and provision of benefits. It highlights areas where challenges remain and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
  • Publication
    Efficiency in the Programming and Financing of Social Protection
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    Social protection (SP) in Bangladesh is characterized by a large number of programs. Multiple agencies implement numerous interventions. To maximize the impact of social protection programs, it is critical to: (1) align the allocation of resources with national policies and strategies; (2) design programs that are able to reach their intended beneficiaries with adequate coverage and level of benefits; (3) ensure efficiency in programming and financing; and (4) ensure efficiency in the actual delivery of programs at the local level. This policy note analyses point (3), the processes of budgeting, programming, and reporting on SP budget, highlights areas where challenges remain, and proposes policy recommendations to address those.
  • Publication
    Allocative Efficiency: Better Align Social Protection Resources with National Policy
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-09-07) Sabbih, Mostafa Amir; Coudouel, Aline
    Policy making requires categorizations, which are commensurate with strategic directions. Social protection is a term, which can be used to describe a broad range of programs. The National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) of Bangladesh has a rather broad scope, covering what many define as safety nets or social assistance, as well as insurance against some risks, programs addressing shocks, and interventions focused on employment or productivity. This policy note analyses the extent to which resources are allocated efficiently, in line with national strategies and priorities. In particular, this policy note discusses the importance of policy relevant categorization/classification of programs; gaps and challenges in resource allocation in respect to the needs of different demographic and socio-economic groups and/or in respect to functions Social protection (SP) programs are supposed to play. It proposes reforms which could address some of the challenges identified.
  • Publication
    Business Regulation in South Asia and the Belt and Road Initiative
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-11-24) World Bank
    This study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the business environment in six South Asian countries, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, to examine whether business regulatory requirements in these countries hinder them from fully benefiting from BRI project spillovers. The analysis is based on available secondary data sources and responses to a structured questionnaire sent to selected private sector participants in each of these countries, eliciting information on the law, regulation, and practice in a wide range of thematic areas influencing the overall business and regulatory environment. Survey respondents identified nine key themes as the most challenging for the private sector, including from the perspective of potential benefits from BRI-induced opportunities. The thematic areas are: (a) licensing and inspection requirements; (b) regulations and practices governing foreign investment; (c) access to resources such as land, credit, and electricity; (d) regulatory restrictions on the operation of foreign firms, such as local content requirements and currency repatriation; (e) regulatory governance and corruption and state capture; (f) predictability and quality of the regulatory framework, especially corporate taxation; (g) government procurement laws and practice; (h) effective dispute settlement and grievance mechanisms; and (i) trade and customs regulations. The identified thematic areas promote connectivity and regional integration and thus are particularly relevant from the BRI perspective. Improvements along different dimensions of these thematic areas will likely enable countries in the region to gain from BRI-induced opportunities.
  • Publication
    Bangladesh: Political Economy of Right to Information
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-04-30) Ahsan, Syed Khaled; Hasan, Sadik; Imran, Nadee Naboneeta
    The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2009, was a milestone in the legal history of Bangladesh to ensure people’s right to obtain information from the government offices and other organizations. This act covers most bodies owned, controlled, or substantially financed either directly or indirectly by the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The act aims at giving citizens the right to hold the government accountable. In the 1990s, civil society advocated for the RTI Act as one of the best-fitted tools to establish good governance. The act was drafted by the government and civil society organizations (CSOs) together, following an analysis of a few other RTI Acts. A caretaker administration further cemented the path for the introduction of the RTI Act. The Council of Advisors of the caretaker administration approved the RTI Ordinance in September 2008, and it became formally recognized as a law from October 20, 2008. The democratically elected new government passed the RTI Act in March 2009, in the very first session of Parliament. The context of introducing a law for RTI in Bangladesh was different from that of India. The demand came from the grassroots level in India with a 40-day sit-in protest by a citizens’ rights body in 1996. In the case of Bangladesh, it came from Dhaka-based elites and lacked connection with the grassroots (Article 19 2015). The RTI Act, 2009, helps investigative journalism, but that is not the entire goal of this act. The goal is to empower citizens with information and make livelihoods easier for the ones who will otherwise have no means of getting answers from the state or other social actors.
  • Publication
    Options to Strengthen Disaster Risk Financing in Pakistan
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-04-01) World Bank
    The options presented in this paper were developed at the request of the Government of Pakistan (GoP) to contribute to the country's disaster resilience and overall sustainable development. They are in line with Pakistan@100: Shaping the Future which detailed essential elements of sustainable growth for Pakistan including with disaster risk financing among the