It is common practice in empirical development macroeconomics to use cross-country samples for econometric analyses. One issue that is rarely addressed in this literature is the appropriateness of pooling when panels are used. In particular, does it matter to the results if the countries exhibit...

This paper considers how the conditionality inherent in HIPC debt relief should be constituted to promote pro-poor policies. There are two dimensions to this. First, the extent to which the policies proposed are pro-poor. Second, the potential for releasing resources for pro-poor expenditures....

This paper shows that the increased policy-selectivity of aid allocations observed in recent years provides recipient countries an incentive to improve policies. The paper estimates that a change in the World Banks Country Policy and Institutional Assessment policy index from 1.5 to 2 for a...