Directions in Development - Human Development Series

Africa's International Rivers

by Claudia W. Sadoff, Dale Whittington, David Grey, and World Bank

Published 3 January 2003

Co-operative management and development of Africa's international rivers holds real promise for greater sustainability and productivity of the continent's increasingly scarce water resources and fragile environment. Moreover, the potential benefits of co-operative water resources management can serve as catalysts for broader regional co-operation, economic integration and development - and even conflict prevention. But riparians will pursue joint action only when they expect to receive greater benefits through co-operation than through unilateral action. Economic analysis can be used to make the case for co-operation on international rivers, using tools that should help identify and measure the potential incremental benefits of co-operation, determine the distribution of the benefits among riparians, and assess the feasibility and fairness of alternative management and investment scenarios. Investment and management schemes can be designed to maximise the aggregate economic benefits of a river system.
Where such schemes yield benefit distributions not perceived as equitable among riparians, economic tools could also be used to calculate, design and implement arrangements for redistribution. In all of these ways, economics can play an important role in enabling the management of international rivers, helping to motivate, design and implement co-operative water resources management.

Pakistan

by World Bank

Published 21 July 2014

Not yet available

Working Through the Crisis

by World Bank

Published 5 December 2013

The end of the MFA was followed by rising apparel exports, falling prices, and a reallocation of production and employment between countries. There were also significant changes within countries. The first main finding of this report is that export and employment patterns after the MFA/ATC did not necessarily match predictions. While many predicted that production would shift to low-wage countries, this book shows that only 13% of variation in export changes post-MFA can be explained by the differences in wage levels. Second, changes in exports are usually, but not always, good indicators of what happens to wages and employment within countries. This is especially important for policy because it shows that simply using exports as a metric of 'success' in terms of helping the poor is not sufficient. Third, the Book identifies the specific ways that changes in the global apparel market affected earnings. The Book shows that wage premiums change in predictable ways: rising (in most cases) in countries that were proactive in adapting to the MFA phase-out and expanded their market shares, and falling in countries that failed to respond in a timely fashion to the changing environment.

The book shows that promoting 'upgrading' (defined as shifting to higher-value goods, shifting up the value chain, or 'modernizing' production techniques) seems to be necessary for sustainable competitiveness in the apparel sector but does not necessarily help the poor. Policies that support upgrading need to be complemented with targeted workforce development to make sure that the most vulnerable workers are not left behind. Having a vision for the evolution of the apparel sector that incorporates developing worker skills seems crucial. Otherwise, less-skilled workers could miss out on opportunities to gain valuable work experience in manufacturing.

The Future of African Cities

by World Bank

Published 1 August 1998

The massive migration of people from rural into urban areas is the most spectacular demographic upheaval that Africa has experienced in recent decades. The growth of Africa's cities has outstripped local capacities of management, absorption, and financing, yet cities do not have to be a drain on the national economy. They can actually add new dynamism to the process of economic growth. This book surveys 25 years of experience in the urban development sector in francophone Africa and suggests an agenda for the future, focusing on fundamental questions such as: - What should be the priority areas of action under future urban projects? - Who should be partners? - Where should urban investments be made and how should they be financed?

Rains - Asia

by World Bank

Published 1 January 1997

What Makes Exports Boom?

by World Bank

Published 1 February 1997

Are Financial Weaknesses Undermining the East Asian Miracle?

by World Bank

Published 1 June 1997

Recent developments have raised some concerns about the quality of banking systems in East Asia. This analytical report shows that East Asia's financial sector is more robust than often thought and that the region's countries must develop their own financial infrastructure to sustain growth.

An Integrated Approach to Wastewater Management

by World Bank

Published 1 January 1999

Pension Reform in Europe

by World Bank

Published 23 May 2003

Few topics on the economic reform agenda attract more attention in countries throughout Western, Central, and Eastern Europe than pension reform. And there is hardly any other area in the European policy debate where reform progress has been more uneven between countries. The difference between need and outcome does not appear to reflect underlying reform pressures, so what are the causes this unevenness? 'Pension Reform in Europe' represents a major attempt to solve this puzzle, with contributions from leading scholars and practitioners in economics and political sciences. This book shows the current stage of knowledge in the pension area, and indicates areas needing further research. The research should lead to a better understanding of process and progress of European pension reform, for the benefit of the reform agenda in Europe and other regions of the world.