Economics & Development

Strengthening public financial management (PFM) represents a critical aspect of the Government of Nepal’s (GON) strategy to improve governance, optimize the utilization of public resources, and promote inclusive development. There has been increasing interest from civil society organizations, media, the public, and development partners (DPs) in strengthening PFM to enhance the use of public resources and achieve value for money. To this end, the GON has been working closely with DPs to design and implement PFM reform initiatives at the country and sector levels. In response to the GON’s and DPs’ call for a coordinated approach to address PFM challenges, the Nepal PFM Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) was established to harmonize DPs’ support for PFM reforms. The MDTF has supported investment projects and analytical activities to strengthen PFM in Nepal and is scheduled to close on January 31, 2028.

Los eventos hidrometeorológicos representan un riesgo serio para muchos países en América Latina. Este documento proporciona detalles sobre el trabajo realizado para Chile, Colombia, México y Perú, incluyendo estimaciones cuantificadas de pérdidas por inundaciones a nivel nacional así como resultados a nivel regional. El Banco Mundial aprovechó el modelo global de JBA Risk Management (JBA) para desarrollar perfiles de riesgo en una base regionalmente consistente. La razón para usar un enfoque regionalmente consistente fue explorar opciones de transferencia de riesgos para Chile, Colombia, México y Perú tanto como grupo como individualmente. Los perfiles de riesgo proporcionan estimaciones de la pérdida esperada de activos que podrían esperarse bajo varios escenarios climáticos para cada región (departamento) dentro de los cuatro países estudiados. Este documento también describe cómo los eventos pluviales pueden afectar la economía nacional a través de varios canales de transmisión. Los eventos pluviales pueden afectar la fuerza laboral así como la productividad empresarial y sectorial (agricultura, por ejemplo). Ciertos eventos también pueden crear cambios en el producto interno bruto nacional, dependiendo de la severidad de las inundaciones y las áreas afectadas. Finalmente, el informe detalla las estrategias financieras actuales que estos países utilizan para gestionar el riesgo ante desastres y presenta varias soluciones financieras que podrían considerar.

La información presentada en este informe recoge los puntos relevantes de la investigación de FLACSO (Flacso, 2024), los insumos de mesas de diálogo con las autoridades y las reflexiones del equipo del Banco Mundial sobre la integración de profesionales venezolanos en Ecuador. El estudio, adelantado por FLACSO, bajo la dirección y con financiamiento del Banco Mundial utilizó métodos mixtos de trabajo con la población venezolana en Quito, Guayaquil, Manta y Cuenca, y entrevistas con actores relevantes de política pública y academia. De igual manera, el trabajo permanente con aliados como ACNUR y WOCCU, y las contrapartes públicas de la Senescyt y el CES, arrojan luces sobre potenciales vías para la mejora de la experiencia de la ciudadanía en los servicios públicos, siguiendo un enfoque de optimización del trámite, para obtener beneficios que impacten a usuarios nacionales y extranjeros.

Le Partenariat pour un Gouvernement Ouvert (PGO) est une initiative multilatérale lancée en 2011 pour promouvoir l'ouverture des gouvernements. L'initiative repose sur des principes qui promeuvent la transparence et l'ouverture à de nouvelles formes de concertation, la redevabilité et la collaboration avec la société civile. Le PGO est basé sur l'idée qu'un gouvernement ouvert est plus accessible, réactif et responsable envers les citoyens, et que l'amélioration de la relation entre les citoyens et leur gouvernement présente des avantages à long terme pour l'ensemble de la société. Les gouvernements s'associent à la société civile (SC) pour favoriser la transparence, renforcer le pouvoir des citoyens, lutter contre la corruption et améliorer leur gouvernance, notamment grâce à l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies. Ce modèle unique d'engagement citoyen vise à garantir que les OSC jouent un rôle dans la formulation et le contrôle citoyen de l'action gouvernementale. L'AAI et l'EC sont parmi les quatre critères d'adhésion au Partenariat pour un Gouvernement Ouvert (PGO). Le Cameroun est intéressé à devenir membre du PGO mais ne répond pas encore aux critères requis. Ce diagnostic vise à soutenir les réformes entreprises par le gouvernement pour améliorer son éligibilité au PGO. Le rapport AAI et EC analyse les forces et les faiblesses du gouvernement ouvert dans ces deux domaines.

中等收入国家正与时间赛跑。自1990年代以来，许多国家成功摆脱低收入水平，消除极端贫困，导致人们认为过去三十年发展非常顺利。但超过100个人均收入在1100至14000美元之间的经济体的目标是在下一代内达到高收入水平。将他们的战绩与这个目标相比，令人沮丧。自1970年代以来，中位收入国家的人均收入停滞在美国水平的不到十分之一。随着人口老龄化、保护主义加剧以及加快能源转型压力的加剧，当今中等收入经济体面临的挑战日益严峻。尽管面临日益增长的逆风，他们仍要成为先进经济体，必须创造奇迹。 借鉴自20世纪50年代以来的发展经验和经济分析进展，《2024年世界发展报告》为发展中国家提供了避免“中等收入陷阱”的路径。它指出中等收入群体需要不止一次，而是两种转型：第一是从投资到投资注入，第二是从投资到创新。中低收入国家的政府必须摒弃重复同样以投资为驱动策略的习惯，转而努力将来自世界各地的现代技术和成功的商业流程注入经济。这需要将这些经济体中的大部分重塑为具有全球竞争力的商品和服务供应商。掌握输注技术的中上收入国家可以加速创新转型——不仅借鉴全球技术前沿的理念，还能开始将前沿向外推。这需要再次重组企业、工作和能源使用，更加重视经济自由、社会流动性和政治竞争性。 这两种转变都不是自动发生的。少数几个迅速从中等收入向高收入转型的经济体，通过管教强势的现任者鼓励企业精神，通过奖励能力培养人才，并利用危机调整不再符合其曾经服务目的的政策和制度。当今的中等收入国家也必须这样做。

SAPLING’s Learning Lab at IFPRI’s Delivering for Nutrition 2024 highlighted how timely, accessible evidence drives policy “wins.” Panelists, including government officials, researchers, and civil-society leaders, examined pathways from knowledge to implementation, stressing strategic communication, digital engagement, and multi-sector collaboration. Discussions also explored how repurposing public finance and mobilizing private incentives can align agriculture with nutrition outcomes. The session reinforced SAPLING’s role as a catalyst connecting evidence, advocacy, and investment to build food systems that deliver for people and the planet.

This policy note examines climate resilience in Kazakhstan’s water, agriculture, and pastureland sectors, identifying priority policy and regulatory measures to strengthen climate adaptation in areas highly vulnerable to climate change. Building on the findings of the World Bank’s Kazakhstan Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR, 2022) and subsequent analytical work, the note reviews institutional, legislative, and governance frameworks affecting adaptation efforts. Drawing on stakeholder consultations and research conducted in 2023 and 2024, it assesses existing policies, identifies implementation gaps and barriers, and proposes targeted recommendations to improve resilience, resource management, and cross-sectoral coordination. The note presents a comprehensive set of policy measures for water, agriculture, and pasture management, aligned with Kazakhstan’s national priorities, the CCDR, and the World Bank Country Partnership Framework. It emphasizes the importance of integrated, evidence-based policymaking and institutional strengthening to address climate risks and support sustainable development, while providing a roadmap of short-, medium-, and long-term actions to guide future government planning and decision-making.

Samoa is assessed at moderate risk of external and overall debt distress based on a strong debt carrying capacity, an improvement from the high risk assessment in the previous DSA published in February 2023. The change in rating reflects the significant improvement in debt dynamics given the large fiscal surpluses and the resulting buildup of government cash reserves in recent years. Consistent with previous DSAs, the projection horizon was extended to 20 years as opposed to the standard 10 years. This allows for the inclusion of the average long-term effects of climate change by incorporating their impacts on economic growth and the fiscal position over the long term (FY2031-2045). Despite the extension of the horizon and inclusion of negative effects of climate change in the baseline, none of the external public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) or overall public debt burden indicators breach their respective thresholds. In the stress test scenarios, including a tailored natural disaster shock similar in scale to the median impact of natural disasters in Samoa’s history, the PV of external PPG debt-to-GDP and PV of public debt to GDP breach their threshold and benchmark, respectively. Considering baseline projections and stress tests, Samoa’s external and overall risk ratings are assessed as moderate. However, the distance between the threshold and the PV of external PPG debt-to-GDP is small under the baseline with an extended horizon, suggesting limited space to absorb shocks after judgement is applied. Despite the improved risk rating, Samoa remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change, highlighting the need for reforms to prioritize and successfully execute high-quality climate-resilient public investment, enhance public financial management, increase revenues, and attain more sustainable, inclusive, and diversified growth. These reforms will be vital to building fiscal and external buffers and minimizing risks to debt sustainability.