Despite an initial surge in COVID-19 cases, cross country data suggests that Turkey containedrelatively quickly the spread and worst health effects of the virus. As in other countries, however, continued vigilance is essential to sustain this fragile trend. Turkey's pandemic response may offer...

Guinea-Bissau's massive economic potential has not so far translated into better livelihoods for its population. Growth per capita has averaged less than 1 percent per year over 2000-2019. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the factors behind the economic stagnation. An interplay of...

As the second largest African oil producer, Angola had unsustainable government expenditures in effect until 2014 due to the drop in international oil prices. The Government responded with a comprehensive reform program including the gradual elimination of most fuel subsidies and an extension of...

This paper investigates the impact of World Bank development policy operations on the quality of economic policy during the period 1998-2015. A new theoretical framework distinguishes among three effects that have been conflated hitherto: (a) marginal impacts of additional policy actions within...

Since the 2015 SCD, some economic progress had been shared and progress in poverty reduction was achieved, but the COVID-19 crisis has in part reversed these developments. Uganda's broad development narrative has not changed significantly since the 2015 SCD, with the COVID-19 crisis further...

Maldives is the smallest yet most densely populated country in South Asia. Endowed with an extremely rich and diverse marine ecological system, Maldives has been able to develop a successful high-end tourism sector. Tourism continues to be the main engine of growth, but there are limited...

This World Bank Group Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) 2021 Update presents a diagnostic of Bangladesh's growth and poverty reduction since the previous diagnostic in 2015. It identifies emerging opportunities and challenges for the next decade as the country recovers from the COVID-19...

Strong boom and bust cycles and Montenegro's vulnerability to these fluctuations are a critical obstacle to greater prosperity and opportunities for its citizens. Montenegro's vulnerability to boom-bust cycles was already emphasized as a key development challenge in the previous Systematic...