Panama | Projects | World Bank

The project Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan has changed to Active

2013-03-28T04:00:00.000Z

The project Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

Objective of the Second Programmatic Fiscal Management and Efficiency of Expenditures Development Policy Loan Project for Panama is to support the Government of Panama in creating fiscal space and strengthening social transfer programs. The proposed operation supports four areas that are central to the Government's reform program: (1) tax reform will support the Government's tax policy and administration reforms and its improvements in international tax information sharing. Together, these reforms are expected to mobilize tax revenue and facilitate the international exchange of tax information; (2) modernizing public procurement practices will significantly increase accountability and transparency and reduce transaction costs, since 37 percent of non-financial sector public spending is done through procurement; (3) increasing the efficiency of debt management; a major challenge for debt management in Panama is the lack of a medium-term debt management strategy. In particular, while overall guidelines such as the development of the domestic debt market and the smoothing of the debt profile exist, there is no formal debt management strategy in place. Such a strategy will establish target ranges for selected indicators of financial risk after assessing the cost-risk tradeoffs of different alternatives; (4) and expanding and improving targeting of social transfer programs.

The project Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline.

2012-11-28T05:00:00.000Z

The project Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Development Policy Loan has changed to Closed

2012-05-16T04:00:00.000Z

The project Development Policy Loan has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The current administration took office in July 2009 following a landslide victory in the last presidential elections. President Martinelli won the elections with over 60 percent of the vote. This was the largest margin since the 1989 elections and has been interpreted as giving his administration a strong mandate for reform. Soon after taking office, the new administration announced a set of goals to be achieved 'without excuse' (las metas imperdonables), aimed at improving economic efficiency, enhancing competitiveness and protecting the poor and vulnerable. The administration also published a 5-year strategic plan, which lays out a roadmap for the Government's reform program. The Government's majority in congress means that the administration has been able to swiftly pass a number of important laws and advance on several of its public policy objectives. This document describes a first programmatic fiscal management and efficiency of expenditures development policy loan in the amount of US$100 million for the Republic of Panama. Subsequent operations are expected to be for US$50 million each. The programmatic series, which includes three additional loans, is designed to accompany the administration's reform program over the next three years, supporting the overall objectives of creating fiscal space, strengthening fiscal management, enhancing transparency, improving the efficiency of public spending and strengthening social programs. Specifically, the operation supports four areas that are central to the reform program: (a) tax reform, including closing loopholes, widening the tax bases, improving tax administration and improving tax information sharing; (b) procurement reform, focusing on the consolidation and further development of public procurement practices; (c) debt management reforms, including strengthening the institutional capacity of the public credit unit and developing the domestic bond market; and (d) social protection, focusing on strengthening the targeting of existing social transfer programs.

The project Panama - Strengthening the Performance of Basic Health Services has changed to Dropped

2012-04-13T04:00:00.000Z

The project Panama - Strengthening the Performance of Basic Health Services has changed to Dropped. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a CAT DDO has changed to Active

2011-10-28T04:00:00.000Z

The project Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a CAT DDO has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (CAT DDO) Program is to enhance the Government of Panamas (GoP's) capacity to implement its Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Program for natural disasters. Panama's vulnerability to the impacts of natural hazards is showing an increasing pattern characterized by a higher physical exposure of people, goods, and services, compounded by extreme climatic variability conditions. This evolving risk scenario was manifested in December 2010, when intensive rainfall across Panama caused widespread flooding, even forcing the temporary closing of the Panama Canal due to the unprecedented water levels in the artificial lakes, reaching their highest levels ever recorded. At the same time, extensive areas of Panama City lacked potable water for weeks due to the associated impacts of the rainfall and flooding. According to a March 2011 official government report, Panama needed an additional US$149.3 million to repair damaged infrastructure and restore economic activity in the areas affected by the floods. The (GoP) did not have enough contingent reserves to finance the post disaster rehabilitation phase and was forced to ask the National Assembly for a temporary suspension of the financial limits contained in the Social and Fiscal Responsibility Law to bridge the financial gap caused by the disaster. This Program Document is a US$66 million loan with a CAT DDO as budget financing for the GoP for an initial period of three years. The GoP requested this operation to complement other instruments in the country that are part of its DRM Program, and are in line with the Bank's comprehensive framework for disaster risk management and emphasis on disaster prevention, as opposed to only disaster response.

The project San Lorenzo: Effective Protection with Community Participation (GEF-MSP) has changed to Closed

2011-08-13T04:00:00.000Z

The project San Lorenzo: Effective Protection with Community Participation (GEF-MSP) has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline.

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a CAT DDO is now in the pipeline.

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a CAT DDO is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Implementation of Panama Maritime Strategy is now in the pipeline.

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Implementation of Panama Maritime Strategy is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Panama - Strengthening the Performance of Basic Health Services is now in the pipeline.

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Panama - Strengthening the Performance of Basic Health Services is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency Technical Assistance Loan has changed to Active

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency Technical Assistance Loan has changed to Active. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency Technical Assistance Project for Panama is to assist public agencies of the borrower in producing, using and disseminating timely and quality performance information, thereby allowing a more efficient, transparent and account use of the Borrower's public budget funds. There are four components to the project, the first component being strengthening performance-based budget management and evaluation. The provision of support to the Ministry of Finance (MEF), including, goods, Information and Technology (IT) equipment, operating costs, training and technical assistance for the carrying out of activities aimed at improving the institutional and technical capacities of MEF for performance-based strategic planning and budgeting in order to create conditions for enhancing the quality of public spending. The second component is the new financial management model: strengthening budget execution, treasury, accounting and control. The third component is the strengthening public procurement and contracting. The provision of support to the General Directorate of Public Procurement (DGCP), including goods and IT equipment, training and technical assistance, for the reform of the Borrower's public procurement process, through the carrying out of activities aimed at supporting the institutional strengthening of DGCP, as well as building the capacity of public procurement officials. Finally, the fourth component is the creation and support of project management capacities.

The project Road Asset Preservation has changed to Dropped

2011-06-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Road Asset Preservation has changed to Dropped. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency Technical Assistance Loan is now in the pipeline.

2010-10-15T04:00:00.000Z

The project Enhanced Public Sector Efficiency Technical Assistance Loan is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Road Asset Preservation is now in the pipeline.

2010-07-20T04:00:00.000Z

The project Road Asset Preservation is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project Land Administration Project has changed to Closed

2010-07-02T04:00:00.000Z

The project Land Administration Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The Land Administration Project aims to a) ensure equitable access to land and improve land tenure security by providing land administration services in selected rural, peri-urban, and urban areas; and b) enhance natural resources conservation through the consolidation of the National System of Projected Areas and indigenous peoples territories. There are three project components: 1) The first component will improve policy and regulatory framework for land related issues including sales and rental markets, protected areas, indigenous peoples' lands, and land valuation and taxation regime. It will strengthen national executing agencies and local institutions by enabling them to apply new policy directives related to land regularization and administration services. The component will also support co-management mechanisms to ensure coordinated decisions and actions regarding land administration. 2) The land regularization service component will complete a systematic legal cadastral survey and regularization in the project area. 3) The consolidation of protected areas and indigenous territories component will support completion of land tenure identification, demarcation of priority protected areas, and demarcation of indigenous peoples' comarcas and territories.

The project Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Additional Financing Loan has changed to Closed

2010-06-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Additional Financing Loan has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

This Project Paper seeks the approval of the Executive Directors to provide an additional loan to the Panama Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Project. The proposed additional loan would finance the cost of activities to amplify the impact and development effectiveness of this well-performing project. The additional activities would contribute to efforts to consolidate and deepen critical reforms needed to accelerate growth and reduce poverty in Panama. These new activities would be fully consistent with the Development Objectives of the ongoing Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Project. There are 4 components to the project. Project Component A, Fiscal Sustainability and Public Sector Efficiency, is to support pillar II of the Government's strategic plan: to promote economic growth and employment. Project Component B, Social Spending and Poverty Reduction, will provide tools to monitor and evaluate poverty in Panama and specific related interventions. Project Component C, Public Procurement System, will deepen efforts already undertaken in this area by the Government. Project Component D, Project Management, will finance the provision of technical assistance, equipment, training, and operating costs (as necessary) to establish, operate, and strengthen the Project coordination and Project executing units.

The project Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Project has changed to Closed

2010-06-01T04:00:00.000Z

The project Public Policy Reform Technical Assistance Project has changed to Closed. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The project PA Metro Water and Sanitation Improvement Project is now in the pipeline.

2009-12-29T05:00:00.000Z

The project PA Metro Water and Sanitation Improvement Project is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

The objective of the Metro Water and Sanitation Improvement Project for Panama is to increase the quality, coverage and efficiency of its water supply and sanitation (WSS) services in the lower-income neighborhoods of selected areas of the Panama Metropolitan Region (PMR). At the request of the Borrower and with the objective of accelerating the implementation of the project, the fiduciary arrangements of the project will add the use of a Fiduciary Agent that will be hired by IDAAN (Instituto de Acueductos y Alcantarillados Nacionales - Government of Panama) to assist in processing payments to vendors. The remaining fiduciary arrangements, namely IDAAN's responsibility for the financial management aspects of the project, through its institutional financial unit, including: (i) budget formulation and monitoring; (ii) cash flow management (including submitting payment requests to the Financial Agent and submitting loan withdrawal applications to the Bank); (iii) maintenance of accounting records (including the administration and maintenance of an inventory of project assets); (iv) preparation and submission of in-year and year-end financial reports; (v) administration of underlying information systems; and (vi) arranging for the execution of financial audits, will remain in place. It should be noted that several other Bank projects in the Bank's portfolio are implemented using this modality, and the change represents a change of approach by the Government of Panama which initially expected to use national procedures but later decided implementation had to be accelerated. The changes will not raise the overall financial management risk of the project as IDAAN remains responsible for the financial management aspects of the project, but will benefit from the assistance of the Fiduciary Agent.

The project Protecting the Poor under Global Uncertainty Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline.

2009-02-18T05:00:00.000Z

The project Protecting the Poor under Global Uncertainty Development Policy Loan is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database

This document describes a Development Policy Loan (DPL) for Protecting the Poor Under Global Uncertainty in Panama. The operation supports the poverty reduction efforts of the Government of Panama in the context of the current global financial crisis and economic slowdown. Specifically, it supports policy measures, which: (a) mitigate the impact of economic shocks on the poor through improved targeting and coverage of social sector programs, and (b) help reduce the risk of an economic and financial crisis through enhanced banking sector risk management and strengthened banking regulation and supervision. Maintenance of financial sector stability is a necessary condition to poverty reduction efforts as it is fundamental to sustained growth. Moreover, the costs of financial and economic instability tend to be borne disproportionately by the poor. The Protecting the Poor under Global Uncertainty DPL also assists Panama by providing access to long-term financing to support priority spending during the global financial crisis.

The project PA Urban Transport is now in the pipeline.

2008-11-26T05:00:00.000Z

The project PA Urban Transport is now in the pipeline. To see more information, see the project information in the World Bank project database