Economics & Development

This brief provides an update on poverty and inequality in Moldova, drawing on the Household Budget Survey (HBS) 2025. It presents the official set of indicators for absolute monetary poverty (headcount, depth, and severity) based on national and international poverty lines. In addition, the brief describes the profile of the poor in 2025. A final section documents trends over 2021–2025. The note is designed as a systematic, annually updatable tool, intended for publication by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with the World Bank

This validation assesses the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Completion and Learning Review (CLR) for the Poland Country Partnership Framework (CPF) covering FY19–FY24, including adjustments under the FY23 Performance and Learning Review. The CPF aligned with Poland’s national development strategy and the 2017 Systematic Country Diagnostic, focusing on human capital, environmental sustainability, and private sector development across three focus areas: human capital and entrepreneurship, advanced policy making for growth and inclusion, and global and regional public goods. It was selective in design, emphasizing knowledge services, limited IBRD lending, and enhanced IFC engagement. The Independent Evaluation Group rates the overall development outcome as Moderately Satisfactory, with five objectives mostly achieved and one partially achieved. WBG support contributed to strengthening health systems, fostering entrepreneurship and SME financing, enhancing regional institutional capacity, improving policy design capabilities, and advancing climate resilience and green transition efforts. However, some targets were not fully met, including training outreach, policy modeling utilization, private sector participation in refugee integration, and beneficiary coverage in environmental programs.

Ratings of the Health System Improvement Project for Albania were as follows: Outcome was moderately satisfactory; Bank performance was moderately satisfactory; M&E quality was modest. Lessons learned and recommendations are as follows. First, major reform components should be preceded by a political economy and institutional readiness assessment, with reforms sequenced to depend on prerequisite infrastructure: for example, output-based and case-mix payments require a functional Health Information System (HIS) before roll out; where enabling conditions are absent, stage reforms in a subsequent operation rather than embedding them in the same project. Second, digital infrastructure deployment must be paired with robust change management, user training, and incentives to drive adoption, including linking the Regional Hospital Information System (RHIS) to payer platforms such as the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) to convert technical outputs into sustained service delivery outcomes. Third, to avoid extended periods of underperformance, build formal review milestones with pre-agreed restructuring triggers into project design so that early warning signs prompt timely course correction. Fourth, in earthquake-prone settings, embed seismic resilience and climate adaptation into civil works from the outset rather than retrofitting later, and use these investments to layer energy efficiency, waste management, and preparedness enhancements. Fifth, for complex procurement tied to hospital rehabilitation or construction, deliberately sequence civil works packages and apply clear protocols to redesign or cancel stalled lots; treat high-stakes technical assistance such as hospital master planning as a distinct risk that must be legally anchored early with realistic costing and detailed terms of reference, supported by targeted procurement capacity building. Sixth, where national procurement rules and Bank guidelines differ, provide early, unambiguous guidance to all actors to prevent systemic bottlenecks. Finally, for internationally sourced medical equipment, stipulate phased delivery milestones with liquidated damages and include adequate buffers between delivery, installation, training, and loan closing to mitigate supply chain disruptions and ensure operational readiness.

The Annex 4 of the Ethiopia Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the Period FY2027–FY2036 provides an overview of the World Bank Group’s active portfolio in Ethiopia, encompassing IDA, IFC, and MIGA engagements. The annex presents ongoing national and regional operations, financing commitments, disbursement status, and sector coverage across infrastructure, agriculture, energy, education, health, governance, social protection, water, and digital development. It also highlights IFC investments and advisory services, alongside MIGA guarantees, demonstrating coordinated support for Ethiopia’s economic growth, resilience, and development objectives.

The Annex 1 of Ethiopia Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY27–36 outlines the World Bank Group’s strategy to support inclusive growth, job creation, and resilience through investments in infrastructure, institutional capacity, private sector development, human capital, and health. The framework aims to expand access to electricity, transport, and digital services; strengthen public institutions and fiscal management; mobilize private investment; improve learning and workforce skills; and enhance health, nutrition, and social protection, thereby fostering sustainable economic transformation and improved livelihoods across Ethiopia.

The WB and WTO aim to complete the development of this checklist by the end of 2024. Building on the collaboration established in disseminating the joint report’s key findings, the WB and WTO would aim to partner with leading regional institutions (e.g., regional UN commissions, regional development banks) in identifying pilot countries and/or regional groupings wishing to use the competitiveness checklist for purposes of devising national/regional trade strategies in services. The diagnostics produced by countries would (i) document the domestic reform priorities of countries/regions, (ii) assist countries in defining the key strategic orientations and overarching objectives of their national services trade policies, (iii) help define key interests that might best be pursued through international trade negotiations or cooperation as complements to domestic (unilateral) reform efforts, and (iv) help identify and prioritize development and technical assistance needs in relation to services trade policies, under the coordination of trade ministries.