Albania provides a small amount of social assistance to nearly 20 % of its population through a system that allows a degree of community discretion in determining distribution. This study investigates the poverty targeting of this program. It indicates that relative to other safety net programs...

This study reviews the African Region of the World Bank's current thinking on cost sharing and the poor as apllied in Sub-Saharan Africa. It inventories country experiences and Bank activities in cost sharing for education and health, reviews African experiences with the implementation of cost...

Many developing countries have made dramatic progress in promoting private sector participation in their infrastructure sectors, especially with the help of foreign investors. However, this has not been the case in Southern and Eastern Africa, which have been perceived as relatively unattractive...

This paper presents the Joint Staff Advisory Note on Senegal’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Annual Progress Report. Senegal’s poverty reduction strategy is built on four pillars that include wealth creation, capacity building, the provision of basic social services, and...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

This Status Report summarizes the main steps that have been undertaken since the last progress report to finalize the National Poverty Eradication Program (NPEP) of Lao People's Democratic Republic. The NPEP is a comprehensive framework for growth and development, with a focus of an in-depth...

This Selected Issues paper on Panama explores the current situation and trends of the Caja del Seguro Social (CSS) in Panama. The autonomy is embedded in its Organic Law, which also provides the agency with the right to have separate funds from the central government. The slowdown in economic...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

This paper presents the Joint Staff Assessment of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) Annual Progress Report for Mali. Mali’s first annual PRSP Progress Report presents a frank assessment of implementation of the PRSP. The Progress Report highlights Mali’s macroeconomic and...