Mozambique's economy has experienced strong growth over the last two decades, with GDP expanding at an annual average rate of 7.2 percent. However, this growth has been unequally shared and rural areas still lag far behind urban centers in both monetary and non-monetary dimensions of wellbeing....

The European Union (EU) Regular Economic Report (RER), is an annual publication of the World Bank Group and covers economic developments, prospects, and economic policies in the European Union. The report finds that while growth is back on track, the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution...

Ethiopia began the decade on a great run, with high economic growth and significant gains in poverty reduction nationally. But the gains were unevenly shared. Multiple shocks at the beginning of the new decade threaten to discontinue progress and possibly undo most of the gains made in the...

This report applies the framework to diagnose the opportunities and constraints faced by the rural economy and households and to assess policy options to address these constraints. The approach builds on four steps. The first step consists in examining the socio-demographic profile and living...

This report is based on a study of the costs of retail payments in Kosovo, using a methodology (A Practical Guide for Measuring Retail Payment Costs) developed by the World Bank's Payment System Development Group (PSDG), part of the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice. The...

This report is based on a study of the costs and savings of retail payments in Albania using a methodology (A Practical Guide for Measuring Retail Payment Costs) developed by the World Bank's Payment Systems Development Group, part of the Financial Inclusion, Infrastructure, and Access at the...

Micro and small enterprise (MSME) insolvency is particularly likely to impact not only the business, but also the personal and family life of the owner-operator(s) of such businesses, raising particular concerns that apply much less frequently in the context of corporate insolvency. This report...

The objectives of a well-designed pension system are poverty reduction in old age and income smoothing throughout an individuals' lifetime. Over the last thirty years, changing demographic trends have caused a shift from 'pay as you go' and occupational defined benefit (DB) schemes - where the...

The report discusses key policy issues that enable and constrain digital savings market development and offers policy considerations within the context of the G20's High-Level Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion. Based on current market observations, three policy considerations seem most...

After Uganda enjoyed two decades of strong growth and poverty reduction in the 1990s and early 2000s, its economy slowed down, and social progress decelerated amid a steady increase of the population. Several constraints continue to undermine progress and social and economic transformation in...