Ratings for the First and Second Development Policy Loans (DPL) Project for Jordan were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, risk to development outcome was substantial, Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was moderately satisfactory.
... See More + Some lessons learned included: the results framework made legal and institutional reforms a core part of the operation. Strong supervision and technical assistance (TA) together with close collaboration with key stakeholders enabled the DPL to succeed with both de jure and de facto reforms, many of which had proven elusive in the past. International Finance Corporation’s (IFC’s) on-the-ground presence and close collaboration between International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and IFC were crucial to the DPL’s achievements. Flexibility to adjust the indicative triggers and results indicators while remaining true to the development objectives was critical to preventing the DPL from failing after the first operation. A strong team, results-oriented dialogue, and a flexible approach turned the operation around and helped the client achieve its development objectives. A more explicit implementation strategy, for instance with a formal steering committee and a schedule for reviewing the results indicators, can have strengthened the DPL’s ability to compete with the authorities’ other day-to-day priorities.
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Implementation Completion and Results Report ICR4058 APR 28, 2017
The development objective of Himachal Pradesh Public Financial Management Capacity Building Program Project for India is to improve the efficiency of Public Expenditure Management and Tax Administration in Himachal Pradesh.
... See More + This project has three components. 1) The first component, Improving efficiency of the Finance Department (FD) in an enhanced control environment, aims to contribute toward strengthening budget credibility; effective Public Financial Management (PFM) operations; and enhancing governance, financial controls, and accountability by strengthening treasury systems and establishing or upgrading enabling IT systems. It has two subcomponents as follows: (i) Strengthening treasury functioning and implementing second generation Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) reforms; (ii) Strengthening PFM Reforms Architecture; and (iii) Establishing or strengthening enabling IT systems and support. 2) The second component, Increasing efficiency and performance through better contract management, aims to strengthen contract management in one of the major works departments, namely the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department. It has the following two subcomponents: (i) Establishing an integrated CMS; and (ii) Rollout of e-Procurement in all government departments. 3) The third component, Unlocking revenue potential through modernization of the Excise and Taxation Department (ETD), aims to support activities that will increase efficiency in operations within the ETD, including upgrading skills and competency levels for improved staff capacity and enhanced systems, both with the objective of augmentation and increasing revenue. It has the following five subcomponents: (i) Diagnostic of the institutional framework and revenue administration; (ii) Strengthening analytical skills and business intelligence (BI) capabilities; (iii) e-Governance in the excise function; (iv) Independent third-party IT audit; and (v) Hiring of personnel for addressing backlog of Value Added Tax (VAT) and Central Sales Tax (CST) assessments.
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The development objective of the Integrated Public Sector Reform Project for Congo, Republic of is to improve public resources management and accountability in the Republic of Congo.
... See More + The project comprises of four components. The first component, strengthening revenue mobilization and public expenditure management objective is twofold: (a) to improve non-oil revenue collection, and (b) to rationalize the expenditure chain. It consists of following sub-components: (i) strengthening revenue mobilization; and (ii) strengthening public expenditure management. The second component, modernization of the public administration objective is to develop a public sector modernization strategy and implement it in pilot departments and agencies. It consists of following sub-components: (i) improving civil service management capacity; (ii) modernization of the departments implementing reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+); and (iii) modernization of the public procurement system. The third component, improving transparency and accountability objectives are to strengthen the capacity of the oversight institutions, increase transparency in the forestry and extractive sectors, and promote citizen engagement. It consists of following sub-components: (i) supporting the Cour de Comptes et Discipline Budgétaire (CCDB), general inspection of finance (IGF), and economy and finance committees of the parliament; (ii) supporting social accountability and citizen engagement; (iii) improving transparency of the revenue collection system in the forestry sector; and (iv) improving transparency in the extractives sector. The fourth component, project implementation support objectives are to enhance the project implementation capacity and to support the development and application of a monitoring and evaluation (M and E) system for tracking progress in governance reforms. It consists of following sub-components: (i) building project implementation capacity; and (ii) and M and E.
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Most business leaders in Malawi see the Malawi Trade Portal (MTP) as a step forward in the provision of public information via online platforms and the promotion of transparency in the delivery of public services.
... See More + Its purpose is to facilitate trade by promoting easier access to information on laws, regulations, measures, standards, procedures, and forms related tothe governance of exports, imports, and transit of goods. This SmartLesson describes how the MTP is helping authorities facilitate trade by increasing transparency and accountability and by reducing the time it takes to access regulatory information on trade across borders. and it shares the lessons the authors believe are the most replicable.
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International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) offers various financial products to meet the needs of financing and risk management of development programs.
... See More + IBRD semi-annually provides an update of the lending rates and spreads applicable to its financing products as set out in the terms of each product. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the lending rates and spreads applicable to IBRD loans outstanding as of January 1, 2017.
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This paper uses some of the main elements of the World Development Report 2017 framework to analyze how the initiative came to be. First, it looks to investigate the origin of the constitutional changes that gave birth to the figure of citizen’s bill in the first place, illustrating how a change in rules, a “form”, eventually led to an increased space of contestability.
... See More + It also looks to document how the coalition between civil society organizations, academia, the private sector and citizens came together around this rallying point, and how the bill grew from online platform to a full-on legislative proposal. Afterwards, it provides a brief analysis of the elements of the bill that were ultimately incorporated into the legislation of the national anticorruption system. In parallel, it looks to shed light on questions, such as, did political parties attempt to block a constitutional change with the potential to affect their interests? What role did elite organizations play in the civil society coalition? How much of the coalition’s bill made it into the national anticorruption legislation? What are the mechanisms through which these laws purpose to fight corruption? The methodological approach followed in the paper consisted of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and a detailed review of publicly available information. The rest of the paper is structured as follows. Section two, next, discusses some of the elements of WDR 2017, which are used to frame the analysis. It then sets up the context leading up to the initiative, notably the legislative changes that allowed the figure of citizen’s bill to come to the fore. Section three looks at the path of the 3de3 citizen’s bill: its evolution from online platform, through massive crowdsourcing to full-blown national anticorruption bill. It also explores some of the most distinctive elements that the bill proposes to fight corruption. Section four provides an analysis of the incentives behind how the coalition around the initiate was built, and the unlikely alliance of actors involved—citizens, business associations, civil society organizations, academia, and legislators themselves. Section five concludes with a discussion of the entry points that led to the development of the bill—and its incorporation into the national legislation on corruption—in terms of shifts in incentives, preferences and contestability.
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In a conflict-affected and newly independent country like South Sudan, rebuilding public sector capacity is an important aspect of state building, both in the short and in the medium to long term.
... See More + If capacity strengthening is not pursued or is ineffective, government functionality remains patchy and dependency on technical assistants (TA) remains high. Capacity strengthening has been considered amorphous and a difficult topic in academic literature. This paper looks at the experience of efforts to strengthen capacity in South Sudan over the decade from 2005 to 2016. The context has proved challenging for capacity-building efforts. On the one hand, some improvements have been seen and some skilled civil servants are in place. On the other hand, wider progress has been difficult and punctuated by crises and setbacks. Renewed conflicts from December 2013 to August 2015, and again since July 2016, have disrupted progress and planning for development support. The report’s recommendations are based on the assumption that minimum stability will eventually return for capacity strengthening to restart; but it cannot be predicted when this will be the case.
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Working Paper 114588 JAN 01, 2017
Fritz,Verena Maria; Issa,Museme Munira; Ort,Rachel Lemay; Haven,Bernard James; Collin Dit De Montesson,Nicolas Antoine Robert; Wani,Aisha Musa AliDisclosed
This report was developed in the first half of 2016, when the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS) and subsequent establishment of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU) presented a possible window of opportunity to restart and reset state-building effort, in particular, to initiate a more strategic approach to capacity building.
... See More + From the government side, it was possible incentives will emerge to signal a break with the past by delivering services to citizens. In this context, the main objective of the note has been to contribute a stronger evidence base for renewed efforts at supporting capacity building. Despite the renewed deterioration since mid-2016, it is expected that many of the key challenges and tensions analyzed will remain important considerations when capacity building efforts are eventually renewed. South Sudan has faced renewed conflict and a deepening macro-fiscal crisis. Shortly after the formation of the TGNU in late May 2016, fighting broke out in Juba and the security situation in the rest of the country has subsequently deteriorated. This note mainly covers the period until June 2016, as a contribution to providing a more nuanced understanding of efforts at capacity building in South Sudan. This note is primarily concerned with capacity in the civilian public service in South Sudan, and its ability to deliver public services. The note explores cross-cutting issues and challenges related to developing a capable and effective civil service and drills down into two specific areas: public financial management (PFM) and the public health sector. The report combines an analysis of the opportunities and constraints created by the evolving country context; cross-cutting factors which have shaped core public administration functions across sectors since 2005; and analysis of capacity in two selected state functions PFM and health care. The report is organized as follows: chapter one presents purpose, scope, and approach. Chapter two covers the conceptual underpinnings of the paper. Chapter three provides a cross-cutting perspective on capacity-building efforts in South Sudan, providing an overview of public sector as a tool for the management of political support, as well as the evolution of aid architecture. Chapter four covers PFM in South Sudan and chapter five addresses the health sector. Chapter six reviews key findings and emerging lessons and concludes with recommendations and options for improving monitoring of capacity-building efforts going forward.
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This quarterly review for Palestinian Recovery and Development Plan covers the period of October – December 2016. Despite strong revenues, a significant drop in budget support in 2016 resulted in extremely tight financing conditions and further arrears accumulation.
... See More + In 2016, public revenue increased by close to 25 percent mainly due to one-off transfers by the GoI and advance telecom license payments. Public expenditure growth was high reaching 5 percent mainly due to unanticipated wage increases. Despite a strong decline in the PA’s deficit year-on-year, fiscal stress continued to be high in 2016 due to a major drop in budget support. According to the 2017 budget, the financing need will remain large.
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The objective of the First Multi-Sectoral Structural Reform Development Policy Financing Project is to support Government’s efforts in: (i) strengthening governance and management to reduce costs, improve reliability and facilitate equitable access in the energy sector; and (ii) enhancing the legal and regulatory framework to promote competition, investment and equitable access in the ICT sector.
... See More + Growth and poverty reduction have been sluggish in Senegal over the past 25 years, but more recently growth accelerated and poverty reduction may be following. Real GDP per capita has only increased by 17 percent in Senegal since 1990, against 45 percent on average in SSA and 134 percent in emerging and developing countries. In addition, growth has been driven by capital accumulation, with little or negative contribution from Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth and human capital accumulation. In the last few years, growth performance improved reaching 6.5 percent in 2015 and expected to attain similar levels or higher in the next few years. In addition to external and internal factors (such as low commodity prices or positive climate behavior), these advances are linked to the implementation of the Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE), with which Senegal aims to become an emerging country by 2035. For this to happen, growth rates of 7-8 percent would be required, in a context of higher productivity and competitiveness. Similarly, progress in poverty reduction has been mixed. Poverty decreased 7 percentage points over 2000-05, particularly in urban areas, and stagnated until 2011 reaching 47.3 percent. Recent data point to a reduction of 2 percentage points since 2011. Underperformance of the Senegalese economy has been related to enduring structural constraints and persistent infrastructure gaps. Macro-fiscal policies have been supportive to growth and Senegal benefits also from other factors such as its coastal location or its 1500 km of optic fiber network. However, structural constraints undermine the efficiency of investment and sustained growth. For instance, growth in agriculture has been slow and volatile, and productivity gains scarce, despite the high potential of the sector and its important share of jobs. In addition, key non-tradable inputs such as communications and electricity, increase the country’s relative prices. Senegal also scores below average on transport infrastructure, and electricity and telephone infrastructure. Furthermore, the country does not take full advantage of existing infrastructure. This is the case, in particular, of the ICT infrastructure, including the important public optic fiber network.
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This quarterly review for Palestinian Recovery and Development Plan covers for the period of July – September 2016. Public revenue grew by 22 percent in the first three quarters of 2016, mainly due to one-off transfers by the Government of Israel (GoI).
... See More + Public expenditure grew by close to 5 percent and exceeded the prorated budget by 6 percent in the period between January and September 2016. High expenditure growth was mainly driven by an increase in the wage bill, which constitutes about half of total expenditure. Progress in various areas of Public Financial Management (PFM) has been uneven.
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This introductory guide has been developed by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) with the support of the World Bank to explain to public sector leaders and their teams how integrated thinking and reporting can help the sector consider how make the most of resources, encourage the right behaviors and demonstrate to stakeholders how they are achieving the strategy and creating value over the short and longer term.
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As Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) approaches end 2015, this report takes stock of the progress to date and draws out lessons for the next stage of ASEAN’s connectivity journey.
... See More + The realization of an integrated ASEAN community demands connectedness vis improved and expanded transport, communications, and energy infrastructure; the reduction of barriers to trade and investment; and the opening of new opportunities for ASEAN wide communication and exchange. The MPAC provides a blueprint for such advances via three strategic dimensions, each accompanied by strategies and key actions: physical connectivity; institutional connectivity; and people-to-people connectivity.
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The preparation work for the 2017 World Development Report on Governance and the Law in 2016 will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the World Bank’s decision to broaden its ongoing work on public sector management to embrace key issues of governance in the Bank’s borrowing countries.
... See More + This paper provides a broad overview of the major Bank reports on governance that went through a review process at a sufficiently high level in the institution that they can reasonably be described as reflecting the Bank’s considered views at the time on the subject. The objective is to review the evolution of the Bank’s thinking on governance and assess the relevance and effectiveness of the work and its implications for the forthcoming World Development Report. Section two of this paper begins with a brief account of how the Bank came to focus on issues of governance, reviewing the major upheaval of governance in many of the Bank’s borrowing countries in the 1980s, the legal constraints the Articles of Agreement impose on the Bank’s work on governance, and a brief overview of the Bank’s initial policy statement on governance issued to the Bank’s Board in June 1991. Section three reviews major Bank work on governance as reflected in successive World Development Reports and examines the Bank’s analysis of the issue of corruption, reviewing how the Bank’s thinking on this symptom of poor governance has evolved. Section four steps back to assess what the Bank got right and some of the issues it missed or failed to address adequately. Section five draws attention to the dramatic changes experienced by the developing world in these past 25 years, and points to the need to better understand the implications of these changes for the governance context facing developing countries.
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