Publication: Unlocking Subnational Finance: Overcoming Barriers to Finance for Municipalities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Loading...
Published
2025-04-22
ISSN
Date
2025-04-22
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Municipalities in low- and middle-income countries confront financing needs that greatly exceed available flows. Currently, most investment in municipal infrastructure is financed directly from public fiscal sources, but needs cannot be met by existing public and international development sources alone. Much greater use of private and repayable financing will be required. This report is intended to address this development challenge. It provides a snapshot of repayable finance flows to municipalities in developing countries, showing that such flows have been extremely restricted in recent years. It then identifies the chief factors that contribute to these restricted flows, along three dimensions: municipalities’ effective demand for finance, the supply of finance, and the intermediating regulatory environment. It offers recommendations for municipalities, national governments, and development partners to address these constraints.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank Group. 2025. Unlocking Subnational Finance: Overcoming Barriers to Finance for Municipalities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/43104 License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Financing Mechanisms for Addressing Remediation of Site Contamination(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-10)Industrial and commercial facilities provide great economic benefit to communities throughout the world. Unfortunately, many industries use or have used practices and materials which have proven toxic to the environment and to those who live and work near contaminated sites. The definition and degree of contamination varies at national and regional levels of government, but leaders throughout the world now recognize the hazard that contaminated industrial and service sites present to the wellbeing of their communities and seek innovative ways to finance the remediation of these challenging sites. Industrial contamination can have a severe, direct impact on adjacent communities. The cleanup and redevelopment of a so-called brownfield can improve a community s economy, provide an opportunity for habitat restoration, and create public space. Cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields can be an effective economic development strategy, with benefits seen in two timeframes. First, there is an immediate and one-time capital expenditure for cleanup activities, infrastructure, and construction. The initial investment generates tax revenues, temporary family-wage jobs, and indirect economic benefits within the community. Secondly, there is a long-term economic impact from remediation projects in the form of higher property values, long-term tax revenues, and the attraction of external capital to the community by tenants of the revitalized property. The economic benefit of contaminated site redevelopment is perhaps most clearly illustrated by permanent job creation from the restored properties. The deleterious effects of industrial contamination across all facets of a community typically provide a strong incentive for leaders to seek financing mechanisms that make site remediation possible.Publication Guatemala Economic DNA : Harnessing Growth with a Special Focus on Jobs(Guatemala, 2014-08)This is the first edition of the of the Guatemala Economic DNA (Diagnostic for National Action) with a focus section on job creation. The report highlights the important achievements of Guatemala on the macroeconomic stability front. It also argues that these achievements will need to be secured and makes the case for an increased focus on accelerating economic growth. For example, this edition highlights that in 2013 the country's economic activity expanded by 3.7 percent in 2013, and is projected to grow around 3.6 percent in the near-term, in line with the growth of Central American economies but below the growth rate in emerging markets. Meanwhile, inflation has been managed and the authorities deserve to be recognized for their commitment to maintain macroeconomic stability. Guatemala's economy has recovered at a modest but consistent pace since the global financial crisis of 2008-09. Guatemala's macroeconomic resilience is due to prudent macroeconomic policies and a more diversified economy in comparison to other Central American countries, which has helped cushion the impact of shocks. Accelerating growth can substantially reduce poverty in Guatemala, but this will require improvements in economy-wide productivity. Public investment is essential to achieving Guatemala's development goals, yet it remains tightly constrained by a lack of resources, and the government continues to collect the lowest share of public revenues in the world relative to the size of its economy. This report, underscores the extent to which structural constraints on enterprise development slow hiring rates, discourage technology transfer, and promote informality. Several cross-cutting factors are also closely correlated with job creation in Guatemala, including financial depth, exposure to corruption, and informality. Strengthening the rule of law and streamlining regulatory systems will be essential to facilitating firm growth, fostering greater competitiveness, and boosting the returns to both labor and capital.Publication Housing Finance Across Countries : New Data and Analysis(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-01)This paper presents new data on the depth and penetration of mortgage markets across countries. There is a large variation across both dimensions of mortgage market development, across countries, but also -- in terms of depth -- within countries. Mortgage markets seem to develop only at relatively high levels of gross domestic product per capita. Policies associated with financial system development are also associated with mortgage market development, including price stability and the efficiency of contractual and information frameworks. The development of the insurance sector and the stock market, sources of long-term funding, is strongly associated with mortgage market development, while government subsidies and support are not. A benchmarking exercise compares the actual values of mortgage market development to values predicted by structural country factors and shows a large variation across countries and over time in the gap between predicted and actual values, related to specific policies but also mortgage boom and bust cycles.Publication Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries : Principles for Public Intervention(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009)Public intervention in catastrophe insurance markets, supported by the donor community and the World Bank, should be country specific. Low-income countries, where the domestic non-life insurance market is undeveloped, should focus in the short term on the development of sovereign catastrophe insurance solutions and the promotion of public goods related to risk market infrastructure. These countries are usually not mature enough for the promotion of catastrophe insurance pools for private homeowners. Middle-income countries, where the domestic non-life insurance market is more developed, should help the private insurance industry offer market-based catastrophe insurance solutions to homeowners and to small and medium enterprises, including the agricultural sector. This book offers a framework, with lessons drawn from recent experience, guiding principles for public intervention and potential roles for donors and International Financial Institutions (IFIs). These lessons are expected to be used in developing affordable, effective and sustainable country-specific catastrophe insurance programs.Publication MIGA Annual Report 2009(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2009)For Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the challenge this year has been promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) into developing countries at a time when investment flows are slumping. While many investors shied away from projects because of the difficult investment climate, those who have been doing business recognized the need for the kind of political risk guarantees MIGA provides. This year, MIGA provided $1.4 billion in guarantees for a range of projects, down from the agency's banner year of $2.1 billion in guarantees in 2008. But MIGA also experienced far fewer cancellations of existing coverage this year than in previous years. MIGA is also supporting projects to help the most vulnerable. This year, the agency entered into an innovative contract to facilitate up to $100 million of investments to small and medium-size enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa, businesses which account for most of the continent's jobs. MIGA has also focused on internal changes. At a time of financial crisis, promoting FDI depends on moving quickly to meet the emerging needs of clients. This will enhance MIGA's operational flexibility and procedural efficiency, and should lead to more business while strengthening MIGA's position as a self-standing enterprise.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Beyond the Budget Fiscal Policy for Growth and Jobs(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-04)This public finance review (PFR) for Kenya aims both to ensure that every tax shilling benefits the Kenyan taxpayer and to inform the development of a fiscal policy that fosters job creation, poverty reduction, and equity. This PFR explores policy measures that could reduce Kenya’s debt-to- gross domestic product (GDP) ratio by about one-third within 10 years, returning the country to a position closer to its debt level of the 2010s, when the debt buildup began. This scenario takes into consideration increasing economic growth, real wages, and consumption across society. Under this scenario, it is estimated that Kenya’s debt-to-GDP ratio will fall to about 44 percent of GDP by 2035, close to the mid-2010s figure. Real wages and consumption can rise by about 4 percent if all reforms are implemented, and GDP growth and labor productivity by 7.1 and 6.4 percent respectively. The current fiscal situation reflects two underlying constraints. This PFR recommends revenue policies focused on enhancing the efficiency and equity of the tax system while reducing tax exemptions and distortions that further narrow the tax base and repress growth. In certain areas, especially leasehold rents and property taxation, there are clear opportunities to raise additional revenues. While land- and property-based taxes are generally non-distortionary and have the capacity to provide stable, predictable long-term revenues, they are administratively complex and require significant upfront and notable ongoing investments in systems and training. They also rely on a commitment to enforce nonpayment. In addition, the current property tax system in Kenya will benefit from legislative reform, which has a significant lead time and no guarantee of success. Looking beyond the budget, by implementing fiscal, governance, and structural reforms, Kenya can achieve fiscal sustainability while creating jobs and generating services. This PFR provides a range of policy options for the country to achieve these outcomes in the shorter and longer term.Publication CEMAC Economic Barometer, November 2024, Vol 7(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-03)The CEMAC Economic Barometer is a semi-annual World Bank publication that presents a snapshot of recent developments and the economic outlook of the CEMAC region, followed by a brief assessment at the country level. It includes a focused technical section on a theme of regional relevance. This edition’s special topic provides policy options for the CEMAC countries to address challenges in the forestry sector, such as effectively designing fiscal instruments, improving forest governance, and increasing financial and technical support from the international community. It highlights how fiscal instruments can incentivize sustainable forestry and generate government revenue.Publication Tunisia Economic Monitor, Fall 2024: Equity and Efficiency of Tunisia Tax System(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-11-14)The Tunisian economy experienced a modest growth of 0.6 percent in the first half of 2024, following zero growth in 2023. By the end of 2024, Tunisia is projected to be the only country in its region with a real GDP still below pre-pandemic levels. The limited recovery in agriculture, coupled with declines in the oil and gas, garments, and construction sectors, hindered economic growth. Below-average rainfall restricted agricultural growth, which only recovered a third of the significant losses from the first half of 2023. The garment sector suffered due to reduced demand from the European Union, Tunisia's main export market. Oil and gas production continued its decade-long decline due to a lack of new investments, and the construction sector was impacted by limited domestic demand and challenging external financing conditions.Publication Gabon Economic Update(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-29)The Gabon Economic Update is an annual World Bank publication that presents an overview of the evolving macroeconomic position in Gabon, followed by a detailed exploration of a specific topic in each edition. The first chapter analyzes recent economic developments, key development challenges, as well as the macroeconomic outlook and risks for Gabon’s future growth. It presents policy actions that could help strengthen fiscal and debt sustainability, contain food inflation, promote job creation, and sustain a resilient growth path. The second chapter of this year’s economic update has a special focus dedicated to fiscal policies for the forestry sector. This chapter analyzes how fiscal policy reforms for forestry can contribute to generating more fiscal revenues, creating more jobs, and promoting sustainable production methods. This report is based on data available as of May 2024.Publication South Asia Development Update, April 2025: Taxing Times(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-23)Growth prospects for South Asia have dimmed. The global economic environment has become more challenging and is a source of heightened downside risks. After a decade of repeated disruptions, South Asia’s buffers to cushion new shocks are slim. Tackling some of its greatest inefficiencies and vulnerabilities could help South Asia navigate this unusually uncertain outlook: unproductive agricultural sectors, dependence on energy imports, pressures from rising global temperatures, and fragile fiscal positions. For most South Asian countries, increased revenue mobilization is a prerequisite for strengthening fiscal positions. Even taking into account the particular challenges of collecting taxes in South Asian economies—such as widespread informal economic activity and large agriculture sectors—South Asian economies face larger tax gaps than the average emerging market and developing economy (EMDE). This suggests the need for improved tax policy and administration. Until fiscal positions have strengthened, the burden of climate adaptation will disproportionately fall on the private sector. If allowed sufficient flexibility, private sector adaptation could offset about one-third of the likely climate damage by 2050. This may, however, require governments to remove obstacles that prevent workers and firms from moving across locations and activities. As growth prospects dim, the challenge grows to create jobs for South Asia’s rapidly expanding working-age population. South Asia’s large diasporas could become a source of strength if their knowledge, networks, and other resources can be better tapped for investment and trade.