International Debt Statistics (IDS), a long-standing annual publication of the World Bank, features external debt statistics and analysis for the 120 low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debtor Reporting System. IDS 2021 includes (1) an overview analyzing global trends...

Limited state capacity to carry out core government and service delivery functions poses a major constraint in post conflict countries, especially those with low income levels. With regard to scope, the research carried out for this note primarily focuses on developing a detailed understanding...

The severe conditions in Zimbabwe, which reached a nadir in 2008 and 2009, led to a collapse of basic systems including the reliability and safety of water supply and sanitation services, leading to an outbreak of cholera with more than 4,000 deaths and over 90,000 people infected. The World...

After falling out of fashion somewhat (Schmitz, 2006) there has been a resurgence of interest in conditional or results-based instruments over the last few years. Faced with increasing pressure on budgets and sometimes frustrated with the perceived ineffectiveness of development spending, policy...

This background paper describes five different tools that can be used for the assessment of tax incentives by governments in low income countries' (LICs). The first tool (an application of cost-benefit analysis) provides an overarching framework for assessment. Evaluations of the various costs...

Experience shows that there is often ample room for more effective and efficient use of investment tax incentives in low-income countries. Tax incentives generally rank low in investment climate surveys in low-income countries, and there are many examples in which they are reported to be...

This technical note covers the insurance sector supervised by the CBR. The analysis was carried out as part of the 2016 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) of the Russian Federation, and was based on the regulatory framework, supervisory practices and other conditions as they existed in...