Afghanistan is facing many economic and political challenges as it deals with spreading insurgency, declining economic growth, and continuing poverty. The government is working on a number of fronts to stimulate economic activity through its own initiatives and in partnership with International...

Vietnam has successfully developed the electricity and gas sectors that have contributed substantially to the economic development of Vietnam. To date, near universal electrification has been achieved, and the industrial, commercial, and residential sectors benefit from increasingly reliable...

Croatia joined the European Union (EU) in 2013, and the energy sector has been undergoing liberalization, deregulation, and unbundling of state-owned energy utilities. Croatia haswelcomed a number of new public and private energy companies. The Croatian power exchange was established in 2014 and...

Vietnam has made remarkable economic progress over the past 30 years; however, growth was supported by increasing reliance on coal-based energy. The energy sector would continue the expansion of coal-based energy with the significant increase in the installed capacity of coal power plants under...

Growth rebounded in 2014 along with the lift of restrictions over credit and imports, tourism expansion, and the resumption of hydropower investment. Bhutan’s significant dissaving is illustrated by a large current account deficit. Priority will have to be given to private sector development...

Although Bhutan has made progress in recent years, notably by initiating the development of a domestic e-commerce ecosystem, gaps still remain. The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) has prioritized information and communications technology (ICT) development to promote the vision of 'an...

The report examines economic developments in Vietnam in 2018, including its strong trade performance, increased FDI inflows, and public debt stabilization, among others. It also includes a special section on the government's efforts to reduce trade costs and enhance competitiveness. A...

The Afghanistan Development Update is a twice-annual publication providing analysis of recent developments and presenting the World Bank team's most-recent macroeconomic projections. The August 2018 edition focuses on the state of the economy in the context of upcoming elections, and the...