The development of a regulatory framework which meets international standards is a major concern in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as it is key not only to fostering economic development but also to ensuring the wellbeing of its citizens. To achieve this goal, it is important...

The Ombudsman Bureau in Jordan was established in 2008. It was created to provide an avenue for redress by citizens for complaints against public sector bodies - part of the Government s drive to improve the public sector. Such a body is important in providing checks and balances in a government...

The Mashreq region and, in particular, the countries of Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon are facing major policy and fiscal challenges to growth and job creation. The Maximizing Finance for Development (MFD) approach aims to optimize the relationship between the public and the private sector.It would...

The PIM Assessment resulted in the establishment of an Action Plan to strengthen the system. Given weak institutional capacity and limited resources, the Plan should include quick-win options where possible, particularly in the early recovery phase. Evidence shows that the process by which...

A government's provision of complementary public goods, such as roads and bridges, facilitates the development of markets leading to long-term economic growth. Private enterprise, by itself, is unlikely to provide such public works. Likewise, a government's investment in social infrastructure,...

Before the Gulf wars, Baghdad had a well-functioning water and sewerage system, with standards of reliability, access, and quality similar to many first world countries, illustrated by a coverage of 95 percent in urban areas and 75 percent in rural areas in the 1990s. Because of the war,...

The debate on whether natural disasters cause significant macroeconomic impacts and indeed hinder development is ongoing. Most analyses along these lines have focused on impacts on gross domestic product. This paper looks beyond this standard national accounting aggregate, and examines whether...

East Asia has experienced a dramatic decrease in output growth volatility over the past 20 years. This is good news, as output growth volatility affects poor households because of coping strategies that have long-term, harmful consequences, and the overall economy through its negative impact on...