Publication: Lao People's Democratic Republic Systematic Country Diagnostic: Priorities for Ending Poverty and Boosting Shared Prosperity
Loading...
Date
2017-03-09
ISSN
Published
2017-03-09
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Lao PDR has made important gains in development in recent decades. Incomes rose, poverty declined, access to several key public services improved, and Lao PDR met a number of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Lao PDR’s asset endowments, geography, and economic and social legacies have intertwined to shape a development experience of strong growth, limited inclusion, and considerable risks to sustainability. This reflects relative abundance of natural resources; landlocked and small size, ethnically diverse but part of a rapidly growing region; and institutions that have not kept pace with the changes in the economy. This Systematic Country Authority Diagnostic (SCD) aims to identify interventions that would deliver sustained growth and edge Lao PDR toward the twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. The SCD employs a framework with three main pathways toward the twin goals, each addressing weaknesses identified in the diagnostics. Sustainably and efficiently managing the country’s natural resources, including collecting and managing resource rents, (Pathway 1) is critical to delivering strong growth and securing resources to build Lao PDR’s endowments of human and physical capital. Pathway 2 focuses on unlocking opportunities in the non-resource sectors to increase farmers’ incomes and create non-farm jobs, while Pathway 3 emphasizes improvements in human capital required to increase the ability of people to take on these opportunities. Measures to address the high vulnerability of people in Lao PDR further inform Pathway 3. The SCD also highlights the importance of strengthening institutions and governance, a critical cross-cutting challenge that affects progress in each of the three areas above. The pathways can be easily mapped to the three main outcomes of the eighth National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank Group. 2017. Lao People's Democratic Republic Systematic Country Diagnostic: Priorities for Ending Poverty and Boosting Shared Prosperity. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/26377 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Paraguay Systematic Country Diagnostic(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-06-27)Paraguay has been characterized by solid economic growth, strong poverty reduction and macroeconomic stability in recent years. An adjustment of the development model, however, should increase sustainability and inclusiveness in the future. Economic growth has been above the regional average. Macroeconomic stability has been achieved; inflation is under control and public debt is low. Poverty reduction has been substantial, and several social indicators have shown significant improvements. Apart from solid macroeconomic policy, growth has been based on extensive leveraging of the country’s natural wealth, particularly land and hydroelectric potential. Demographic change in Paraguay has also led to a sizable expansion of the working-age population, adding to economic output. However, if the current model is adjusted, the sustainability of these achievements could be increased substantially, since two of the main sources of growth in the past decade (natural capital and the demographic bonus) will slowly reduce their contribution to growth. These adjustments should focus on overcoming the main obstacles that this report identified as critical challenges for a sustainable development: (a) concentration of inputs, production, exports, income, and political influence; (b) prevalence of informal economic relations; and (c) delivery of public services. To meet the population’s expectations, higher growth is needed, but, even more importantly, this growth needs to become inclusive and sustainable in the medium- and long-term. The pathways toward this goal will need to overcome the mutually reinforcing challenges mentioned above. To that end, the SCD has identified the following priority areas: accountable institutions, rule of law, and business environment; natural wealth management; quality of public services; and human capital.Publication Kyrgyz Republic Sytematic Country Diagnostic(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-09-18)The purpose of this Systematic Country Diagnostic is to identify the main constraints and opportunities the Kyrgyz Republic faces in continuing to progress towards the World Bank Group’s twin goals. It analyzes trends and drivers of growth, poverty reduction, and income distribution, as well as the policies that underpin them, while assessing the elements constraining more rapid progress and sustainability. The main conclusions of this analysis are as follows: Growth has been driven by an ad hoc, opportunistic adaptation to constraints; These adaptations, which included (1) exporting migrant labor, with remittances fueling growth in domestic consumption and services; (2) exploiting the gold extracted from one major mine;1 and (3) leveraging import-re-export bazaar trade, helped sustain growth, while being far from first-best, deliberate, and policy-guided long-term solutions. This ‘growth model’ led to significant welfare gains, as it rode on the back of the commodity super-cycle. But its lack of coherence in addressing key constraints has implied that vulnerabilities remain widespread. In short, the country now needs a new development model to (i) tackle the sources of low overall productivity—a critical source of sustainable dynamism—and (ii) unleash private investment and job creation, given the limited options for public spending and redistribution. This will require a three-pronged approach to (1) address cross-cutting constraints to private sector development, (2) promote conducive policies in areas where the country has significant unexploited endowments (especially minerals and hydropower), and (3) foster greater sustainability, including by maximizing the efficiency of public policies. This will also require a fundamental departure from haphazard policy making, whereby macro-fiscal policies have failed to support greater poverty reduction and resilience, and weak governance has undermined the effectiveness of reforms.Publication Republic of Zambia Systematic Country Diagnostic(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-03-15)Zambia has successfully raised its average annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate since the early 2000s. Between 2004 and 2014, it averaged 7.4 percent per year. This success was driven by an improvement in the macroeconomic indicators (relative to the 1980s and 1990s), debt relief, heavy investment in the social sectors (by the government and cooperating partners), and a large increase in mining and agricultural production since 2004. This success raised average p Rapid urbanization has been accompanied by a decrease in urban poverty incidence, but masks sluggish growth in small towns and cities. After a decade of de-urbanization in the 1990s, urbanization has been an important driver of change over the past 15 years. However, from 2000 to 2014, urban growth in Zambia has been significantly more focused on the capital city than the average for Sub-Saharan Africa. The annual population growth of Lusaka is over twice the average for Sub-Saharan Africa (1 percent). In contrast, the share of secondary towns in Zambia is growing more slowly than in the rest of Africa (by only 0.7 percent in Zambia compared with 1.8 percent elsewhere). These disparities may exacerbate uneven territorial development, as small towns and cities play a crucial role in strengthening the links among firms; between firms and consumers; and within local, provincial, national, and international supply chains. er capita incomes after decades of economic volatility since the country’s independence in 1964. The current development model being pursued has imposed environmental and resource liabilities. Agricultural growth has been based on increasing land use rather than improved productivity, leading to rapid deforestation. Mining activities have resulted in pollution, and Zambia also faces high and growing climate change impacts. Copper price volatility also continues to challenge macroeconomic and fiscal management. Debt levels have soared to risky levels only 12 years after the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) programs provided US$6.5 billion of debt relief from 2005.Publication Dominican Republic Systematic Country Diagnostic(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-06-30)The Dominican Republic could sustain a strong economic performance in the medium-term, but there are many pending key challenges to become a high-income and more equitable society by 2030. Although growth rates for the DR are projected to be around 5 percent for 2018-2020, the country faces structural challenges to fostering a more dynamic private sector that can create better jobs and ensure social inclusion. This SCD identifies five key and interrelated challenges which the DR needs to overcome to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable growth.Publication Democratic Republic of Congo Systematic Country Diagnostic(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2018-03)The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a classic example of the paradox of plenty, since the country is extremely rich in natural resources while its population is extremely poor. It is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with a total surface area of about 234 million hectares (equivalent to the size of Western Europe). Poverty in the DRC remains pervasive, and greater than the SSA average. About two-thirds of the population lives below the poverty line. Chapter 2 of the systematic country diagnostic (SCD) shows that between 2005 and 2012 the proportion of people living below the poverty line declined from 69.3 percent to 64 percent, respectively. Demographic trends, reinforced by gender discrimination and lack of social policies, contributed to maintaining poverty at relatively high levels. The poor state of infrastructure is a major constraint on sustainable and inclusive growth in the country. The country’s weak institutions failed to build the foundations of a resilient economy and absorb external shocks, hence exposing the society to cycles of violence and impoverishment. The report identifies five major emerging opportunities and priority areas where policy actions can provide quick wins and build cumulative and virtuous cycles to sustain inclusive growth and foster resilience and shared prosperity over the next decade: (1) building the resilience of the macroeconomic framework; (2) building inclusive institutions and strengthening governance; (3) leveraging natural resources, infrastructure, and agriculture; (4) building human capital; and (5) leveraging the private sector by effectively implementing investment climate reforms, and strengthening institutions that support markets.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-06-11)After several years of negative shocks, global growth is expected to hold steady in 2024 and then edge up in the next couple of years, in part aided by cautious monetary policy easing as inflation gradually declines. However, economic prospects are envisaged to remain tepid, especially in the most vulnerable countries. Risks to the outlook, while more balanced, are still tilted to the downside, including the possibility of escalating geopolitical tensions, further trade fragmentation, and higher-for-longer interest rates. Natural disasters related to climate change could also hinder activity. Subdued growth prospects across many emerging market and developing economies and continued risks underscore the need for decisive policy action at the global and national levels. Global Economic Prospects is a World Bank Group Flagship Report that examines global economic developments and prospects, with a special focus on emerging market and developing economies, on a semiannual basis (in January and June). Each edition includes analytical pieces on topical policy challenges faced by these economies.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Europe and Central Asia Economic Update, Fall 2024: Better Education for Stronger Growth(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-17)Economic growth in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) is likely to moderate from 3.5 percent in 2023 to 3.3 percent this year. This is significantly weaker than the 4.1 percent average growth in 2000-19. Growth this year is driven by expansionary fiscal policies and strong private consumption. External demand is less favorable because of weak economic expansion in major trading partners, like the European Union. Growth is likely to slow further in 2025, mostly because of the easing of expansion in the Russian Federation and Turkiye. This Europe and Central Asia Economic Update calls for a major overhaul of education systems across the region, particularly higher education, to unleash the talent needed to reinvigorate growth and boost convergence with high-income countries. Universities in the region suffer from poor management, outdated curricula, and inadequate funding and infrastructure. A mismatch between graduates' skills and the skills employers are seeking leads to wasted potential and contributes to the region's brain drain. Reversing the decline in the quality of education will require prioritizing improvements in teacher training, updated curricula, and investment in educational infrastructure. In higher education, reforms are needed to consolidate university systems, integrate them with research centers, and provide reskilling opportunities for adult workers.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication The State of the Global Education Crisis(UNESCO, Paris, UNICEF, New York, and World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-12-10)Even before Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hit, the world was already experiencing a learning crisis. 258 million primary- and secondary-school age children and youth were out of school. Many children who were in school were learning very little: 53 percent of all ten-year-old children in low- and middle-income countries were experiencing learning poverty, meaning that they were unable to read and understand a simple age-appropriate text at age 10. This report spotlights how COVID-19 has deepened the education crisis and charts a course for creating more resilient education systems for the future. Section one gives introduction. Section two documents COVID-19’s impacts on learning levels by presenting updated simulations and bringing together the latest documented evidence on learning loss from over 28 countries. Section three explores how the crisis has widened inequality and had greater impacts on already disadvantaged children and youth. Section four reviews evidence on learning recovery from past crises and highlights current policy responses that appear most likely to have succeeded in stemming learning losses, while recognizing that the evidence is still in a nascent stage. The final section discusses how to build on the investments made and the lessons learned during the pandemic to accelerate learning recovery and emerge from the crisis with increased education quality, resilience, and equity in the longer term.