What determines the share of public employment, at a given size of the State, in countries of similar levels of economic development? While the theoretical and empirical literature on this issue has mostly considered technical dimensions (efficiency and political considerations), this paper...

We conduct a field experiment to evaluate the effect of extrinsic rewards, both financial and non-financial, on the performance of agents recruited by a public health organization to promote HIV prevention and sell condoms. In this setting: (i) non-financial rewards are effective at improving...

The study analyzes the key elements of the poverty reduction strategy, including the participatory approach, donor coordination, growth-enhancing policies, and accountability and governance issues. A training program for government accountants has started, and the law establishing the office of...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note focuses on Republic Of Moldova’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and National Development Strategy (NDS). The NDS unifies in one document the government’s poverty reduction strategy and development vision. The NDS argues that Moldova needs to add...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note discusses the Annual Progress report of The Gambia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Macroeconomic performance has been strong, exemplified by robust growth and relatively low inflation. However, the current global economic slowdown is likely to adversely...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note focuses on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for Rwanda. Rwanda’s second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2) covers FY2013/14–2017/18. It builds on the lessons learned in the implementation of the EDPRS 1. Among the...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note focuses on the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The PRSP for Congo states that accelerated and sustainable economic growth will not be possible without a dynamic private sector engaged in job creation,...

Despite a relatively high GDP growth rate over the past decade (2000–10), economic growth in Mauritania has not been able to make a significant dent in poverty. Rapid and sustained poverty reduction requires inclusive growth that allows people to contribute to and benefit from expanding...

This Joint Staff Advisory Note discusses the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) for Liberia. The I-PRSP traces the roots of conflict to Liberia’s exclusion and marginalization of much of the population, and lays out a broad vision and program for July 2006–June 2008....

This annual progress report reviews the joint staff advisory note on Burkina Faso’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). IMF staff highlights the importance of increasing public revenue mobilization and strengthening expenditure management and efficiency, and securing financing in...