In Western democracies, systems of checks and balances built into government structures have formed the core of good governance, and have helped empower citizens for more than two hundred years. Many developing countries, however, continue to suffer from unsatisfactory and often dysfunctional...

The study assesses Bulgaria's progress in its transition to a market economy, and in its preparation for accession to the European Union (EU), through an analysis of economic developments during the 1990s, with special emphasis on the 1997-1999 period. It identifies the major challenges the...

This is a collection of papers that study the constraints on fiscal systems, imposed by problems of institutions, administration, and incentives in developing, and post-Socialist economies. Chapter two focuses on the administration of indirect taxation, and provides a case study of indirect...

This paper presents such a stocktaking of land reform and farm restructuring in four countries (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, and Moldova) that have had particular difficulties with land reform, farm restructuring, farm performance, or rural poverty. It is organized by case studies, each of...

The Treasury Reference Model (TRM) gives guidelines for the design of automated treasury systems for government aiming at a) authorities within government and their advisors who are engaged in planning and implementing such systems; and b) software designers and suppliers from the private sector...

The critical need for private sector involvement in the fight against corruption is now an accepted fact, particularly in East Asia, where there is a buoyant private sector and where corruption has often been equated with cronyism. Cutting off corruption's supply side is a vital step in limiting...

In with the performance of recently privatized electricity distribution companies. Governments complain that tariffs have increased without visible improvements in service. Investors contend that they have not earned reasonable returns on their investments. Both sides often express...

This is the International Finance Corporation (IFC) annual report for FY2000, which outlines its increased gross approvals, led by a record of new investments in Sub-Saharan Africa; the realization of its second-highest-ever annual net income; and, the significant resurgence in commercial bank...

Governments in developing countries and members of the development aid community are acutely aware of the need to find more effective ways to improve basic living conditions for the poor. Traditional approaches to delivering public support have not always led to the results intended....

The main messages of poor places, thriving people: how the Middle East and North Africa can rise above spatial disparities can be summarized in four words: people, connections, clusters, and institutions. This report shows how smart investments and policies in transport can connect poor places...