Economics & Development

Community and Local Development in Western Cote d'Ivoire Project for Cote d'Ivoire, with the development objective to improve access to inclusive and resilient basic services and economic opportunities in Western Cote d'Ivoire. Component 1: Resilient and Inclusive Local Development at the Community Level will finance climate-resilient, small-scale community infrastructure and participatory planning, and strengthen local implementation and maintenance, while prioritizing the needs of women, youth, and vulnerable groups. Sub-components include: Sub-component 1.1, which supports the identification, selection, construction or rehabilitation, equipping, and participatory monitoring of community investments such as facilities for health, education, water, childcare, markets, and other locally prioritized assets using climate-proofing standards and transparent approvals aligned with regional plans; and Sub-component 1.2, which expands livelihood opportunities for women and youth through support to income-generating groups, including group formation or graduation from village savings associations, business planning assistance, targeted grants, and technical services to improve market access and climate-smart production. Component 2: Socio-economic Development at the Regional Level will address inter-village needs and local economic development by improving access to safe drinking water, upgrading value-chain infrastructure, and enhancing last-mile connectivity. Activities include diagnostic-led packages for water points and systems with solar options, repairs and upgrades consistent with national standards, capacity support to village water committees, and value-chain investments such as rural market rehabilitation, storage, aggregation, processing facilities, and small access road segments designed for all-season, climate-resilient connectivity and jobs creation for youth and women. Component 3: Knowledge Generation and Institutional Strengthening will institutionalize community and local development, build social cohesion, and reinforce capacities of local and national actors. Sub-components include: Sub-component 3.1, which identifies local fragility and conflict risks through participatory diagnostics and pilots low-cost behavioral and mediation approaches to improve equitable access to shared services, including water, with referral of land tenure disputes to the national rural land program; Sub-component 3.2, which conducts analytical work and policy dialogue to align community and local development with legal, fiduciary, and planning frameworks, produce practical tools and guidelines, and propose scalable pathways; and Sub-component 3.3, which deploys community facilitators, operationalizes village development committees, and trains regional councils, sub-prefectures, and local stakeholders on inclusive planning, environmental and social standards, climate adaptation, and citizen engagement, while supporting the functioning of regional approval commissions and knowledge platforms. Component 4: Project Management will provide overall coordination, procurement, financial management, environmental and social risk management, monitoring and evaluation including geo-enabled tools and beneficiary feedback, and the operation of steering and technical committees to ensure effective, transparent, and results-focused implementation.

Belize epitomizes the development challenges and opportunities of small states, characterized by a narrow economic base, high exposure to climate and external shocks, and limited policy buffers. Its open, services-led economy anchored by tourism offers significant potential for private investment, job creation, and regional integration, but remains vulnerable to climate disasters, fiscal pressures, and persistent labor market and social gaps, particularly for women and youth. These vulnerabilities were exacerbated during 2018–22 by successive climate shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a severe economic contraction. Since 2020, the Government of Belize has implemented a reform agenda focused on restoring fiscal sustainability, strengthening climate resilience, attracting private investment, and expanding workforce participation, articulated through its Medium-Term Development Strategy, #PlanBelize. The CPF for FY26–35 supports this agenda through a selective program structured around three outcome areas: enhancing private sector investment opportunities, increasing access to reliable and affordable energy, and strengthening labor force skills, with resilience to climate and economic shocks as a cross-cutting priority. The CPF is aligned with the World Bank Group’s Small State Strategy and is implemented through a One WBG approach, complementing the efforts of other development partners.