A major policy objective of the Government of Nepal is to develop its vast hydro power resource potential, to serve electricity needs, and generate export revenue. But, while recent progress has been made in developing regulations, and policies to attract investments for hydropower development,...

Georgia became a member of WTO in June 2000. It has low import tariffs and no quantitative restrictions. The VAT (20 percent) and excise taxes are equally applied to imports and domestic output. However, the implementation of trade policies is undermined by corruption and poor customs and tax...

Fragile countries face deep institutional constraints that require attention to achieve better development outcomes for their citizens. Underlying issues such as fragmented development efforts across sectors, limited capacity to drive change and lack of multi-stakeholder ownership weaken the...

This book is about a collection of speeches -all delivered since Nicholas Stern became Chief Economist of the World Bank in July 2000- they reflect insights that Mr. Stern has gained over more than three decades of study and work in development economics. Together they provide an analysis of...

This book analyzes the development of knowledge-based economies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Its principal messages are: Because of the so-called "knowledge revolution" resulting from the rapid growth in information and communication technologies (ICT), the acceleration of...

Forest resources directly contribute to the livelihoods of 90 percent of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty and indirectly support the natural environment that nourishes agriculture and the food supplies of nearly half the population of the developing world. Forests also are...

Forest resources directly contribute to the livelihoods of 90 percent of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty and indirectly support the natural environment that nourishes agriculture and the food supplies of nearly half the population of the developing world. Forests also are...

Inexorable urbanization and formalization have been the expectations in development discourse. Indeed, measures of urbanization and formalization have been provided and used as indicators of development. But while urbanization has proceeded apace in developing countries, formalization has slowed...