The development objective of the Regional Connectivity Project for Bhutan is to reduce international trade logistics costs, and improve reliability and lower the cost of international broadband connectivity in Bhutan through investments in core trade and ICT infrastructure and related systems.
... See More + Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures are included : (i) efforts should be made to reduce impact of any environmental features and infrastructure facilities typically existing along the existing transmission routes; (ii) temporary detours of access are not envisaged during works; (iii) noise and dust emissions during construction; (iv) no land acquisition is envisaged; (v) all citizens across the country will benefit from improved access to ICT services; (vi) terrestrial and aquatic habitats may be altered during the construction ofcommunications infrastructure depending on the type of infrastructure component and proposed location; (vii) telecommunications processes do not normally require the use of significantamounts of hazardous materials; (viii) enhance social development outcomes of the activities to be implemented under individual subprojects; (ix) avoid, minimize, and mitigate adverse social impacts including loss of livelihood; (x) identify and compensate for unavoidable adverse social impacts that subprojects might cause on people, including protection against loss of livelihoods; (xi) contractor/implementing agency will ensure that vulnerable section of the communities including the very poor, women, tribal people, minority communities, and the marginalized and/or, disabled people, etc; (xii) trim tree branches in line with existing forestry rules and regulations; (xiii) Purchasing electronic equipment that meets international phaseout requirements for hazardous materials content and implementing procedures for the management of waste from existing equipment. (xiv) compensation for all affected structures will be done at replacement value plus its shifting cost; (xv) all impacts on income and livelihoods will be compensated for, and livelihood restoration programs will be undertaken where required.
See Less -
Although many studies consider the spatial pattern of manufacturing plants in developing countries, the role of services as a driver of urbanization and structural transformation is still not well understood.
... See More + Using establishment level data from India, this paper helps narrow this gap by comparing and contrasting the spatial development of services with that in manufacturing. The study during the 2001-2010 period suggests that (i) services are more urbanized than manufacturing and are moving toward the urban and, by contrast, the organized manufacturing sector is moving away from urban cores to the rural periphery; (ii) manufacturing and services activities are highly correlated in spatial terms and exhibit a high degree of concentration in just a few states and industries; (iii) manufacturing in urban districts has a stronger tendency to locate closer to larger cities relative to services activity; (iv) infrastructure has a significant effect on manufacturing output, while human capital matters more for services activity; and lastly, (v) technology penetration, measured by the penetration of the Internet, is more strongly associated with services than manufacturing. Similar results hold when growth in activity is measured over the study period rather than levels. Manufacturing and services do not appear to crowd each other out of local areas.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS7741 JUN 30, 2016
Ratings for the Spatial Development Planning Technical Assistance Project for Mozambique were as follows: outcomes were unsatisfactory, risk to global environment outcome was substantial, Bank performance was unsatisfactory, and Borrower performance was moderately unsatisfactory.
... See More + Some of the lessons learned included: (i) ensuring project readiness is critical to its successful implementation; (ii) spatial development planning needs to be institutionally embedded within the broader planning function of the government; (iii) strong political support within the Ministry of Transport and Communication (MTC); (iv) Technical Assistance (TA) lending operations seem to generate less traction and have more limited success than other investment loans; (v) proactive implementation support remains an effective tool for ensuring project success; (vi) even in the case of TA operations, the complexity of the project has to be in line with the capacity of the Borrower; (vii) when designing a project, it is important to take into consideration the procurement burden it will generate; (viii) self-standing Project Implementation Units seriously limit long-term capacity building; (ix) in the context of Mozambique, a regional cross-country dimension is critical in the case of development corridor initiatives; (x) different approaches should be taken depending of the level of maturity of the specific development corridor; (xi) strategic approaches can maximize the chances of success of Spatial Development Initiatives (SDI); and (xii) a fully cross-sector approach is not indispensable for spatial planning within the context of development corridors.
See Less -
Implementation Completion and Results Report ICR3041 JUN 17, 2016
The development objective of Unleashing Productive Innovation Project for Argentine is to expand the Borrower's capacity to generate productive innovation in knowledge-based areas by: (a) facilitating the creation of new knowledge-based companies; (b) developing specialized human capital; (c) supporting productive research innovation activities and their technology commercialization in the areas of biotechnology, nanotechnology and information and communication technology; (d) upgrading the research infrastructure in the areas of science, technology and productive innovation; and (e) strengthening the policy framework governing science, technology, and productive innovation.
... See More + The proposed additional loan of 45 million US dollars would help finance the costs associated with the scale up of a well performing project, which would include expanding successfully implemented activities and adding impact evaluation activities. Activities that the additional loan would help scaling-up include: (i) the support for the creation of new technology based companies, research consortia, innovation projects among Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and impact evaluations. Expected results from the additional financing and restructuring include: (i) the creation of 15 additional start-ups; (ii) leveraging additional 7 million US dollars private sector financing for innovation; (iii) the development of 30 more technology-based products and services; (iv) increased capacity from different actors in the innovation system to engage in technology transfer and commercialization activities; and (v) more accurate information being produced on the impact of project activities that will inform policy making. The closing date is extended from December 31, 2016 to September 25, 2018.
See Less -
The concept note falls under the work program of water and sanitation program (WSPs) global business area scaling up rural sanitation and hygiene.
... See More + The program is developed based on multiple aspects of program design including the: (i) needs of sanitation sector in Pakistan, (ii) readiness and state of the government, (iii) resources and availability of skills in WSP, (iv) learnings from best practices around the globe, and (v) synergies available with partners and opportunities to deliver results. The aim in Pakistan is to enable all tiers of the government and sector partners to move towards a common vision based on sustainable and equitable service delivery in rural sanitation. This becomes possible through leveraging government to develop and implement a program that is supported by WSP activities. The role of WSP is to provide technical assistance (TA) support (policy and strategies), build capacity of government, focus on localizing learnings to link policy work to local level pilots, create and test innovations, create partnerships with like-minded organizations (for example, United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)), and informs large donor investments to create multiplier effect for field level outcomes.
See Less -
The development objective of Sustainable Management of Agricultural Research and Technology Dissemination (SMARTD) Project for Indonesia is to improve the institutional capacity and performance of the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD) to develop and disseminate relevant and demand-driven innovative technologies, meeting the needs of producers and of the agri-food system.
... See More + This restructuring addresses the agreed modifications of the project activities, during the Mid-term Review (MTR) and subsequent implementation support missions, which include the addition of IAARD laboratories and field stations in new locations and budget allocations to enhance implementation effectiveness and efficiency gains. The changes will also ensure that the Project Development Objective (PDO) is achieved during the 21-month extended implementation period. Furthermore, the proposed modifications are in line with the changes in the Government Policy directions and priorities since the project was designed in 2011 and that of the World Bank's Indonesia Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2015 to 2018-2019 period addressing the agriculture sector investments. The closing date has been extended to June 30, 2019.
See Less -
This report shows how competition policy can help African countries boost inclusive and sustainable development. Prepared by the World Bank Group (WBG) in partnership with the African Competition Forum, the study reviews the implementation of competition frameworks in Africa and examines competition issues that affect market performance in three important sectors for Africa's competitiveness: cement, fertilizers, and telecoms.
... See More + It uses the WBG's Markets and Competition Policy Assessment Tool to identify how competition rule and their enforcement could be made more effective, and to highlight economic and regulatory characteristics of cement, fertilizers and telecoms markets that dampen competition and increase the risk of anticompetitive business practices. Conservative estimates put forward by this report suggest that addressing weak competition in principle staple foods across three countries would have the effect of lifting around 500,000 people above the poverty line by lowering consumer prices. Fundamental market reforms to increase competition in key input services would also boost economic growth. For example, professional services reforms would deliver an additional 0.16–0.43 percent of additional annual gross domestic product growth. While the benefits of competition are clearly observable in Africa, considerable effort is still required to ensure effective implementation of competition laws and incorporation of competition principles in government policies.
See Less -
Today, Africa is on the cusp of a structural economic transformation. With its large pool of human and natural resources, it has been one of the fastest growing regions of the world despite the recent global economic slowdown. the partnership for skills in applied sciences, engineering, and technology (PASET) was launched in 2013 by African governments with facilitation by the World Bank, to address systemic gaps in skills and knowledge in priority ASET fields, and to build the capacity of African education and training institutions to train high quality technicians, engineers, and scientists to meet the demands of the economy.
... See More + PASET was needed to also leverage the knowledge and experiences of Asian, Latin American, and other countries investing heavily in Africa, and raise the level of their assistance. PASET’s goals are consistent with the African goal of creating quality basic education systems, which continues to be a priority for meeting fundamental socio-economic targets. Quality basic education is essential to create a strong pipeline for the higher levels of education and training that PASET supports.
See Less -
Africa is home to 13.4 percent of the world’s population, but contributes barely 1.1 percent of scientific researchers in the world, with just about one scientist or engineer per 10,000 inhabitants.
... See More + The resulting shortage of qualified faculty in African universities, especially in the scientific and technical fields, affects the quality of graduates entering the industry workforce. With 11 million new graduates entering the African job market annually, this generation of talented youth must be equipped with the skills to develop African solutions for African challenges. To address this huge gap and improve the quality of graduates entering the scientific and technical workforce, the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) was launched in 2013 by African governments and institutions. PASET promotes strategic partnerships between governments, private sector and partner countries from other regions to invest in skills in ASET fields in Africa. It is governed by African education ministers, business leaders, scientists, development experts and African academics, and facilitated by the World Bank. In 2015, PASET introduced the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), with initial commitments from Senegal, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and the private sector.
See Less -
This practical notes series is devised as a how-to guide that captures the evolution of Public Private Dialogues (PPD) and the challenges faced by practitioners since the first PPD handbook was published in 2006.
... See More + It considers the varied and evolving forms of PPD, the contexts in which PPD is most effective, and its processes of implementation and sustainability. The design, implementation, and challenges associated with investment climate, competitiveness, and sector-specific PPDs are discussed, as well as an updated methodology for the monitoring and evaluation of PPDs. The series further provides an updated “Charter of Good Practice” in Annex I that reflects practice modifications and improvements since being first elaborated at the 2006 Paris Global PPD Workshop. The series takes the Charter’s principles as its base, and expands on them with practical advice and recommendations. It comprises five practical notes: PPD Practical Note 2 PPD Processes and Secretariat Unit: This note on implementation processes examines the practical elements that go into the design, implementation and management of a PPD.
See Less -
The development objective of Education and Skills for Productive Jobs (ESPJ) Project for Tanzania is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Recipient’s skills development system and to promote the expansion and quality of labor market driven skills development opportunities in select economic sectors.
... See More + Program key results (PforR) for ESPJ are divided into two result areas: 1) strengthening the institutional capacity of the skills development system; and 2) promoting the expansion and quality of labor market driven skills development opportunities in select economic sectors. The ESPJ PforR is fully aligned with the Government’s National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS). The NSDS proposes a targeted set of interventions at both the system and service delivery levels designed to have transformative impact on the skill supply system for industries with high potential for growth and job creation. The ESPJ PforR focuses on all initial six key economic sectors and all levels of skills identified in the NSDS. Key rationale for the selection of sectors include: (a) sector growth potential; (b) linkage with other sectors of the economy (enabling sectors); (c) contribution to employment generation; (d) feedback from private sector on skill shortage and potential for enhancing regional and international trade competitiveness; and (e) government priority. It may be noted that some of the trainings envisaged under the ESPJ PforR, especially at the entry level, will be common across the six key economic sectors. Therefore, these fungible skills, will allow greater vertical and horizontal career mobility for graduates within and across the key economic sectors under the ESPJ PforR.
See Less -
This report is a synthesis of the technical assistance (TA) and recommendations, carried out by the World Bank water and sanitation program (WSP) since September 2014.
... See More + To achieve the target of 100 percent improved sanitation, there is a national drive to improve fecal sludge management (FSM). This TA recognizes that to achieve the goals it is necessary to support the development of national FSM policies, regulations, and guidelines, while also improving capacity at the local level by supporting the implementation of improved FSM models in target cities. The objective of the TA was to provide government with tested advice on how to scale up improved septage management nationwide through: (i) improvement of septage management in three cities through the application of new management models (local level); and (ii) assistance to national government in training and capacity building and the formulation of policies and regulations to improve septage management at scale (national level). This report is structured as follows: chapter one is the executive summary; chapter two gives the background to sanitation in Indonesia and to fecal sludge management in particular; chapter three provides an overview of the TA approach; chapter four gives details of the implementation of the TA; chapter five summarizes the lessons learned; and chapter six outlines the recommendations and next steps.
See Less -
Governments must decide how to allocate limited resources for infrastructure development, particularly since financing gaps have been projected for the coming decades.
... See More + Social cost-benefit analysis provides sound project appraisal and, when systematically applied, a basis for prioritization. In some instances, however, capacity and resource limitations make extensive economic analyses across all projects unfeasible in the immediate term. This paper responds to a need for expanding the available set of tools for project selection by proposing an alternative prioritization approach that is systematic and feasible within the current resource means of government. The Infrastructure Prioritization Framework is a multi-criteria decision support tool that considers project outcomes along two dimensions, social-environmental and financial-economic. When large sets of small- to medium-sized projects are proposed, resources are limited, and basic project appraisal data (but not full social cost-benefit analysis) are available, the Infrastructure Prioritization Framework can inform project selection by combining selection criteria into social-environmental and financial-economic indexes. These indexes are used to plot projects on a Cartesian plane, and the sector budget is imposed to create a project map for comparison along each dimension. The Infrastructure Prioritization Framework is structured to accommodate multiple policy objectives, attend to social and environmental factors, provide an intuitive platform for displaying results, and take advantage of available data while promoting capacity building and data collection for more sophisticated appraisal methods and selection frameworks. Decision criteria, weighting, and sensitivity analysis should be decided and made transparent in advance of selection, and analysis should be made publicly available and open to third-party review.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS7674 MAY 13, 2016
The development objective of the Weather and Climate Services Regional Project for Bangladesh is to strengthen Bangladesh’s capacity to deliver reliable weather, water, and climate information services and improve access to such services by priority sectors and communities.
... See More + The project comprises of four components. The first component, strengthening meteorological information services will help achieve the project development objective (PDO) by strengthening the Bangladesh Meteorology Department (BMD’s) meteorological monitoring network, forecasting capacity and delivery of weather and climate services. It has three sub-components: (i) modernization of meteorological observation systems and forecasting; (ii) technical and institutional capacity strengthening, regional collaboration, project management, monitoring and evaluation; and (iii) strengthening weather services, early warning systems, and climate services delivery. The second component, strengthening hydrological information services and early warning systems objective is to improve hydrological observation, forecasting, and early warning systems. It consists of three sub-components: (i) strengthening hydrological observation network and forecasting; (ii) technical and institutional capacity strengthening, regional collaboration, project management, monitoring and evaluation; and (iii) strengthening hydrological services and flood early warning systems. The third component, agrometeorological information systems development objective is to provide agro-meteorological services to farmers in order to increase agricultural productivity and assist them in coping with weather and climate extremes. It consists of three sub-components: (i) establishment of the Bangladesh agrometeorological information system (BAMIS); (ii) training, capacity building, project management, monitoring and evaluation; and (iii) agricultural disaster risk management through agrometeorological information dissemination. The fourth component, contingent emergency response component may be used to reallocate or channel additional funds, as available, to support disaster response, recovery, and reconstruction.
See Less -