Half a century after independence, Bangladesh has achieved impressive progress. The country has transformed from one of the poorest nations into a global textile manufacturing hub capable of meeting its medical needs almost entirely through domestic pharmaceutical production. The country will...

The economy of Panama has exhibited strong growth since the turn of the century, and despite shrinking by 18% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recovered quickly in subsequent years. This recovery reflects the country's economic resilience, buttressed by a fiscal response to the crisis...

The economies of the Western Balkans have set ambitious climate targets, aiming to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. To succeed, the region needs to transform its energy sector, which produces almost 50% of its electricity from coal, and encourage more efficient use of energy. Based on a detailed...

Over the past two decades, and despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Togo has experienced sustained economic growth, resulting in reduced poverty and improved access to basic needs. New services and industrial activities are emerging, and investments in port infrastructure have...

Paraguay has faced multiple shocks in the past five years as the COVID-19 pandemic was bookended by severe droughts that affected two key sectors, electricity production and agricultural production. The economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience during this period, supported by policy...

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has made significant headway on its development path over the past three decades. The country’s sustained economic growth has been led by booming commodity exports and substantial inflows of external financing. Many Laotians have seen significant...

At a time when global trade is under pressure and countries increasingly turn to regional integration to support their development, this Spotlight is a timely read for policy makers and business leaders in Africa and beyond. It shows how harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area...

Located in the Caribbean Sea, Guadeloupe is a French Overseas Department and a European Outermost Region in search of a more sustainable economic development pathway. In support of that endeavour, this Production Transformation Policy Review (PTPR) Spotlight looks at the region's opportunities...

Located in the mid-Atlantic, the archipelagos of the Azores is an autonomous region of Portugal and an European Union Outermost Region. Once central to global trade routes, the Azores are aspiring to regain a prominent international role by leveraging their unique geographical, natural and...

El Salvador has made significant development progress in the past 30 years. The end of the civil war in 1992 marked the establishment of a liberal democracy and an open export-led development model, which led to a reduction in poverty and inequality. However, with economic growth averaging a...