Kosovo is one of the poorest countries in Europe, and a growing proportion of the population is at risk for social exclusion and long-term poverty. Overall spending on social protection has increased significantly over recent years, largely because of increases in pensions and war related...

As part of the ongoing tax policy dialogue with the Government of Ethiopia, the World BankGroup organized a workshop in Addis Ababa, on June 20, 2016, to discuss tobacco use, its healthimpact, and excise taxes on tobacco as a public policy measure to reduce tobacco use, and hencethe risk of ill...

This paper presents options for tobacco taxation to reduce tobacco consumption and increase financing for health programs in Afghanistan. Tobacco consumption is compromising the health of the Afghan population, particularly the poor. Lowering tobacco consumption would help progress towards...

This report, the full PER, aims to undertake a detailed analysis of the recent trends in publicexpenditures and revenue with a view to helping Mongolia’s policy makers and opinion leaders identify the main priorities for a successful implementation of its ongoing recovery program. It also...

It is critical for the new administration to boost the reform momentum, focusing on implementation and results. The new government will face the challenge of unifying a polarized society and meeting the population’s expectations and aspirations of peace, security, prosperity and reduced...

Guinea-Bissau is a small state in West Africa with a population of around 1.8 million. It is rich in natural resources (fisheries, forestry and agriculture) and biodiversity. Guinea-Bissau is host to a large variety of ethnic groups, languages and religions, with communal and ethnic-based...

This report stems from the work initiated in the Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) forUzbekistan in May 2016, which identified the quality of job creation as a central, cross-cuttingtheme. The SCD emphasized that "over the medium term, creating high-productivity, high-paying jobs for...

The Angolan economy is at a significant juncture. The current growth model based on oil wealth is nearly exhausted and has not delivered inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Angola faces two broad policy challenges that need to be addressed urgently: macroeconomic stabilization and a more...

This note analyzes the progress of three public sector reforms (Public Financial Management, Public Administration, and Decentralization and Deconcentration) in Cambodia and describes how their design, implementation, and institutional arrangements can be better sequenced and coordinated. It...

Afghanistan has been in protracted conflict for almost four decades, with direct implications on progress towards development objectives. This context of recurring episodes of violence and insecurity, economic and political instability, and the consequent displacement of populations within and...