Publication: Reducing Old Age and Economic Vulnerabilities : Why Uganda Should Improve its Pension System
Loading...
Date
2014-06
ISSN
Published
2014-06
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This is the fourth edition of the Uganda Economic Update series. As with previous editions, this update first provides information related to the current state of the economy before focusing on a particular subject of importance. The special focus of this issue concerns how pensions can reduce vulnerabilities at both individual and macroeconomic levels. The Ugandan economy has continued the process of recovery, growing by 5.9 percent during the first half of FY2013 and FY2014 amidst droughts, disruptions related to civil unrest in South Sudan, and aid cuts. Eight consecutive quarters of positive growth since the slump in FY2011 and FY2012 confirm that the economy has returned on the strong growth path and may reach a rate of growth of 6.0 percent per annum in FY2013 and FY2014. The positive outlook is subject to risks, key among which will be those emanating from its fiscal management regime due to continuous low revenue collection and reduction of aid to Uganda; increased spending pressures in the advent of the 2016 elections, and accelerating public investments amidst gaps in public investment efficiency. In addition, given its recently increased dependency on the South Sudan market for its exports, the protracted crisis in South Sudan could have severe consequences to the Ugandan economy. In that context, a coherent policy of social protection, including for the elderly, can promote social transformation and accelerate economic development. An effective social protection system is needed to protect vulnerable groups from negative shocks such as loss of employment, death of bread winner, or bad weather. Achieving the vision of a transformed Uganda means addressing vulnerabilities at both individual and at country levels. Uganda is already taking steps to start building an effective pension system, but challenges remain in ensuring transparent and proper governance of the pension funds; achieving efficiency objectives, building up the institutional capacity, and managing the fiscal pressures due to expenses to existing pensions and the new public pension scheme at the same time. Well designed and managed pension systems can contribute significantly to the country's ongoing transformation.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2014. Reducing Old Age and Economic Vulnerabilities : Why Uganda Should Improve its Pension System. Uganda economic update;no. 4. © http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20025 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 Uganda Economic Update, June 2014 : Reducing Old Age and Economic Vulnerabilities(Washington, DC, 2014-06)This is the fourth edition of the Uganda Economic Update series. As with previous editions, this update first provides information related to the current state of the economy before focusing on a particular subject of importance. The special focus of this issue concerns how pensions can reduce vulnerabilities at both individual and macroeconomic levels. The Ugandan economy has continued the process of recovery, growing by 5.9 percent during the first half of FY2013 and FY2014 amidst droughts, disruptions related to civil unrest in South Sudan, and aid cuts. Eight consecutive quarters of positive growth since the slump in FY2011 and FY2012 confirm that the economy has returned on the strong growth path and may reach a rate of growth of 6.0 percent per annum in FY2013 and FY2014. The positive outlook is subject to risks, key among which will be those emanating from its fiscal management regime due to continuous low revenue collection and reduction of aid to Uganda; increased spending pressures in the advent of the 2016 elections, and accelerating public investments amidst gaps in public investment efficiency. In addition, given its recently increased dependency on the South Sudan market for its exports, the protracted crisis in South Sudan could have severe consequences to the Ugandan economy. In that context, a coherent policy of social protection, including for the elderly, can promote social transformation and accelerate economic development. An effective social protection system is needed to protect vulnerable groups from negative shocks such as loss of employment, death of bread winner, or bad weather. Achieving the vision of a transformed Uganda means addressing vulnerabilities at both individual and at country levels. Uganda is already taking steps to start building an effective pension system, but challenges remain in ensuring transparent and proper governance of the pension funds; achieving efficiency objectives, building up the institutional capacity, and managing the fiscal pressures due to expenses to existing pensions and the new public pension scheme at the same time. Well designed and managed pension systems can contribute significantly to the country's ongoing transformation.Publication The Road to 2020(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012)The paper is based on a scenario workshop held on January 20, 2009, where leading financial and private sector development experts from IFC, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank discussed the unfolding crisis. This paper is a product of the staff of the Financial and Private Sector Development Vice Presidency of the World Bank Group. The scenarios described in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank Group, its Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The scenarios described serve as the basis of a planning exercise and are not to be interpreted as forecasts or projections on the part of the World Bank Group or the authors of this paper. The purpose of this paper is to sketch scenarios taking into account the information currently at hand. In this way, scenarios can provide decision makers with alternative views of the future. Decision makers can test their strategies against the different ways in which the future might play out. Scenarios provide a framework for debate, leading to better policy making and strategies. They are especially useful in situations where major global changes are under way but there is huge uncertainty over what may happen. Staffs of the World Bank Group are providing these scenarios to help governments and organizations prepare for an uncertain future. Being well prepared and open to thinking about different outcomes is much better than continually being behind the curve and having to chase events.Publication Uganda Economic Update : Bridges Across Borders - Unleashing Uganda's Regional Trade Potential(Washington, DC, 2013-02)Despite having one of the world's highest rates of population growth, Uganda has an impressive record of economic growth and poverty reduction. Over a period of approximately 20 years, from the 1990s until around 2010, the average annual rate of economic growth stood at around 7 percent. During this same period, the proportion of the population living below the poverty line declined from 56 percent in 1992 to 24 percent in FY10. Uganda needs to sustain its efforts to deepen regional integration as a means of facilitating greater trade opportunities, but primary agenda remains it its own hands. The first point of action is to address constraints to productivity growth in sectors that have the highest potential for regional expansion, including the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors. Uganda must advocate by setting an example by removing its own non-tariff barriers (NTB) as a means of encouraging neighboring countries. However, it also needs to use its position to persuade the coastal countries to do their part, since they will also benefit from such programs. In addition, Uganda must seize every opportunity to promote peace and tranquility in the Great Lakes regions.Publication South East Europe Regular Economic Report, June 2012(Washington, DC, 2012-06)After they achieved 2.2 percent growth in 2011, early indications are that the economies of the six countries in South East Europe (the SEE6: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) are slowing drastically and can expect just 1.1 percent growth in 2012. Economic conditions in the Euro zone are holding back economic activity and depressing government revenues in SEE6 countries. With both public debt and financing pressures high, most countries in the region need to embark on major fiscal consolidation programs if they are to reverse their adverse debt dynamics and avoid financing problems down the road. The good news is that in general the SEE6 financial sectors are still relatively well placed, despite elevated risks and vulnerability to adverse shocks, especially the possibility of contagion if the Greek crisis should intensify. The bad news is social: SEE6 countries have the highest unemployment and poverty rates in Europe. Yet even with the difficult short-term situation, SEE6 countries now have historic opportunity to board the European 'convergence train' and over the long term reduce their per capita income gap with developed European Union (EU) countries. All earlier entrants were able to 'catch up quickly.' In principle, the same 'convergence train' is now pulling into the EU candidate countries in SEE6; but these gains are not automatic, they will materialize only if country policies and reforms facilitate them. The long-term SEE6 structural reform agenda must leverage greater trade and financial integration and reform labor markets and the public sector.Publication South East Europe Regular Economic Report, November 2011(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-11-15)The recovery of global growth that started in 2010 began to weaken in 2011. During the first half the falloff was linked to the Tohoku nuclear disaster in Japan and high oil prices, but by the end of July, temporary effects from Tohoku were starting to fade and global industrial production was rising. However, since August the global economy has come under increasing stress from the sovereign debt problems in Europe, anemic growth in the US, and a slowdown in China and other main emerging markets. The latest leading indicators and forecasts point to a further slowdown in growth in Europe. Meanwhile, risks remain of a double-dip recession in the US and sharper slowdown in the large emerging economies. Near term developments depend critically on factors that are largely beyond the control of governments. As this is being written, leaders of the major European Union (EU) countries are still seeking to implement a set of credible policies to establish an orderly process for managing sovereign debt in Greece, to prevent risks from spreading to other economies in the euro zone, to recapitalize banks affected by likely sovereign debt write downs, and to establish a more unified and effective fiscal framework for euro zone (EZ) states. Uncertainty over their ability to successfully conclude this process, as well a series of ratings downgrades, stock market volatility and uncertainty over US deficit policies have shaken investor and business confidence and kept consumers wary. Most forecasters have already reduced their projections for global growth in the US and the EU by a percent or more.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Media and Messages for Nutrition and Health(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2020-06)The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has experienced rapid and significant economic growth over the past decade. However, poor nutritional outcomes remain a concern. Rates of childhood undernutrition are particularly high in remote, rural, and upland areas. Media have the potential to play an important role in shaping health and nutrition–related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting sociocultural and economic development that might contribute to improved nutritional outcomes. This report presents the results of a media audit (MA) that was conducted to inform the development and production of mass media advocacy and communication strategies and materials with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition that would reach the most people from the poorest communities in northern Lao PDR. Making more people aware of useful information, essential services and products and influencing them to use these effectively is the ultimate goal of mass media campaigns, and the MA measures the potential effectiveness of media efforts to reach this goal. The effectiveness of communication channels to deliver health and nutrition messages to target beneficiaries to ensure maximum reach and uptake can be viewed in terms of preferences, satisfaction, and trust. Overall, the four most accessed media channels for receiving information among communities in the study areas were village announcements, mobile phones, television, and out-of-home (OOH) media. Of the accessed media channels, the top three most preferred channels were village announcements (40 percent), television (26 percent), and mobile phones (19 percent). In terms of trust, village announcements were the most trusted source of information (64 percent), followed by mobile phones (14 percent) and television (11 percent). Hence of all the media channels, village announcements are the most preferred, have the most satisfied users, and are the most trusted source of information in study communities from four provinces in Lao PDR with some of the highest burden of childhood undernutrition.Publication Remarks at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-10-12)World Bank Group President David Malpass discussed biodiversity and climate change being closely interlinked, with terrestrial and marine ecosystems serving as critically important carbon sinks. At the same time climate change acts as a direct driver of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss. The World Bank has financed biodiversity conservation around the world, including over 116 million hectares of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas, 10 million hectares of Terrestrial Protected Areas, and over 300 protected habitats, biological buffer zones and reserves. The COVID pandemic, biodiversity loss, climate change are all reminders of how connected we are. The recovery from this pandemic is an opportunity to put in place more effective policies, institutions, and resources to address biodiversity loss.Publication South Asia Development Update, April 2024: Jobs for Resilience(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-04-02)South Asia is expected to continue to be the fastest-growing emerging market and developing economy (EMDE) region over the next two years. This is largely thanks to robust growth in India, but growth is also expected to pick up in most other South Asian economies. However, growth in the near-term is more reliant on the public sector than elsewhere, whereas private investment, in particular, continues to be weak. Efforts to rein in elevated debt, borrowing costs, and fiscal deficits may eventually weigh on growth and limit governments' ability to respond to increasingly frequent climate shocks. Yet, the provision of public goods is among the most effective strategies for climate adaptation. This is especially the case for households and farms, which tend to rely on shifting their efforts to non-agricultural jobs. These strategies are less effective forms of climate adaptation, in part because opportunities to move out of agriculture are limited by the region’s below-average employment ratios in the non-agricultural sector and for women. Because employment growth is falling short of working-age population growth, the region fails to fully capitalize on its demographic dividend. Vibrant, competitive firms are key to unlocking the demographic dividend, robust private investment, and workers’ ability to move out of agriculture. A range of policies could spur firm growth, including improved business climates and institutions, the removal of financial sector restrictions, and greater openness to trade and capital flows.Publication Economic Recovery(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2021-04-06)World Bank Group President David Malpass spoke about the world facing major challenges, including COVID, climate change, rising poverty and inequality and growing fragility and violence in many countries. He highlighted vaccines, working closely with Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF, the World Bank has conducted over one hundred capacity assessments, many even more before vaccines were available. The World Bank Group worked to achieve a debt service suspension initiative and increased transparency in debt contracts at developing countries. The World Bank Group is finalizing a new climate change action plan, which includes a big step up in financing, building on their record climate financing over the past two years. He noted big challenges to bring all together to achieve GRID: green, resilient, and inclusive development. Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, mentioned focusing on vulnerable people during the pandemic. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, focused on giving everyone a fair shot during a sustainable recovery. All three commented on the importance of tackling climate change.Publication Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-09-12)The World Bank has a long history of engaging in population issues, ranging from childhood illness, nutrition, fertility, and safe motherhood to the aging process. It supports countries in addressing the implications of the demographic process through analytical work, technical advice, and financing to expand health coverage, redesign pension systems and social security, and undertake actions that support their economies. This report follows that tradition and analyzes the steps to promote healthy longevity and enhance the quantity and quality of human capital through attention to the burgeoning problem of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Research began before COVID and concluded after, drawing upon lessons from the pandemic. The report is intended to inform policy and action at the country level. The demographic transformation is a global phenomenon, and the increasing population of the middle-aged and elderly brings with it many challenges which are more acute in low- and middle-income countries where resources are more limited. The increasing number of adults calls upon countries to institute the social and economic measures of ensuring their wellbeing and making them optimally productive. Health must be at the center of these concerns, not only its preservation towards the end but its optimization throughout the life-course. This report builds on a compendium of analytical papers covering the economics of avoidable mortality, long-term care, behavior change, social protection, and whole-of-government solutions to support healthy longevity. It emphasizes that a great deal of ill health globally is a result of inequities—especially poverty and gender inequities that limit or delay access to and use of health care. High out-of-pocket payments for NCDs can plunge households further into poverty or extreme poverty. Women live longer with NCD morbidities.