The global economic crisis that began in 2008 threatened to erase years of progress in developing countries. In response, the World Bank Group increased lending to unprecedented levels. The World Bank posted a large increase in middle income countries (MICs), and a much smaller one in low income...

This report argues that in the future Moldova will need to develop a second engine of growth from exports of goods and services. We argue that Moldova needs to resurrect agro-based exports, to raise their value by exporting to higher value markets, and develop service exports in order to provide...

This report analyzes the impact of the global economic crisis on the labor market and poverty in Croatia, and discusses the effectiveness of social safety net policies in response to the crisis. It also presents options to enhance the cost-effectiveness of social policy in Croatia in response to...

This note attempts to analyze and tentatively answer these questions by focusing on the drivers of growth and productivity, labor markets and enterprise restructuring, as well as the state system of enterprise support, which is key to understanding the interplay between the state and the economy...

This note attempts to analyze and tentatively answer these questions by focusing on the drivers of growth and productivity, labor markets and enterprise restructuring, as well as the state system of enterprise support, which is key to understanding the interplay between the state and the economy...

This note attempts to analyze and tentatively answer these questions by focusing on the drivers of growth and productivity, labor markets and enterprise restructuring, as well as the state system of enterprise support, which is key to understanding the interplay between the state and the economy...

The three large South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh), which are the focus of this report, have drawn up large power capacity addition plans to provide for the rapidly increasing electricity demand in the region. The global financial crisis (the crisis), which became acute from...

The global economic crisis seriously threatens the economic growth and poverty reduction that Armenia achieved in recent years. The most recent data indicate that the economy is now shrinking, with prospects worsening in 2009 and 2010 when the full impact of the crisis is expected to unfold....

Section one provides a brief background on the recent macroeconomic developments, starting with the immediate positive past, the growth payoffs in terms of poverty reduction and concluding with a description of persistent and emerging vulnerabilities. Section two continues with the story of the...

There are visible signs that the global financial crisis is affecting economic growth and poverty reduction in Bulgaria. After a period of strong economic growth through 2008, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2009 is projected to shrink by 3.5 percent due to the crisis, with important...