Vietnam stands out as one of the most dynamic emerging countries in the East Asia and Pacific region. Since major reforms in the 1990s, the country has experienced an annual average growth rate of 6-7 percent, and extreme poverty rate has fallen from over 50 percent to 3 percent. Yet, the rapid...

This report provides a diagnostic and a set of recommendations for the coordination of infrastructure investments in three main sectors in Romania: roads; water and wastewater; and social infrastructure (education, health, culture, and sports). The proposals formulated are targeted primarily at...

Infrastructure services are significant determinants of economic development, social welfare, trade, and public health. As such, they typically feature strongly in national development plans. While governments may receive many infrastructure project proposals, however, resources are often...

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group states that the infrastructure gap is enormous --an estimated USD 1 trillion to USD 1.5 trillion more is needed each year. To fill this gap, the Bank needs to tap into the trillions of dollars held by institutional investors, most of which are...

This report examines the role of infrastructure in explaining why the region lags so far behind the rest of the country. More importantly, it looks at how improved infrastructure may help the region catch up. Infrastructure is examined here through its impact on social as well as economic...

This public-private infrastructure advisory facility (PPIAF) - funded report aims to discuss and disseminate information on how Islamic finance has been applied in infrastructure projects through public-private partnership (PPP) schemes, what the structural challenges and solutions are, and what...

In 2016 the Government of Egypt (GoE) has embarked on an ambitious and much needed transition towards a better economic policy. While the macroeconomic stability and market confidence have been largely restored, the overall fiscal situation remains challenging. With limited fiscal space, solely...

The purpose of this report is to identify how to maximize finance available to Nepal in the electricity sector. This report identifies financing needs and constraints for the energy sector in the short to medium term and outlines a road map for overcoming these constraints and seizing...

Between 2010 and 2018, Bhutan's economic performance in the real growth of gross domestic product (GDP) was respectable, averaging more than 5 percent a year. This was driven by hydropower, services, and agriculture. However, there is growing pressure to diversify production. Hydropower...