Qatar | World Bank

Doing business 2010 : Qatar - comparing regulation in 183 economies

Doing Business 2010 is the seventh in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. This paper presents the summary Doing Business indicators for the Qatar. The paper includes the following headings: introduction and aggregate rankings, starting a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, closing a business, and Doing Business 2010 reform.

Doing business 2009 : country profile for Qatar - comparing regulation in 181 economies

Doing Business 2009 is the sixth in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 181 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. This paper presents the summary Doing Business indicators for Qatar. The paper includes the following headings: introduction, starting a business, dealing with licenses, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and closing a business.

Qatar - Application for membership

This board report provides the State of Qatar application for the membership in International Financial Corporation (IFC). Qatar have to fulfill the capital subscription of the new IFC members, the proposed capital subscription for Qatar in IFC would be 1,650 shares for a total cost of US$1,650,000. The proposed allocation would provide Qatar with the same percentage holding of IFC's shares as it has in the Bank. With the above subscription, Qatar will have 1,900 votes, comprised of 250 membership votes plus one additional vote for each share of stock. Confirmation has been received that the above proposed subscription is acceptable to Qatar.

The Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration is launched

2009-10-09T12:53:53.000Z

Contacts:
In Marseille/Paris
Valérie Chevalier
vchevalier@worldbank.org
+ 33 1 40 69 30 48

In Washington DC
Najat Yamouri
nyamouri@worldbank.org
+ 1 202 458 1340

Marseille, October 9, 2009 – The World Bank launches, together with the European Investment Bank, the Governments of Egypt, France, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia, and the City of Marseille, the Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration (MCMI). The Center will facilitate access to best knowledge and practices and improve cooperation to support development policies geared towards greater integration and convergence in the Mediterranean Region.

Development challenges in the Mediterranean region are increasingly complex and have to deal with interdependence in many areas. The Center will offer a platform for public and independent institutions from the region to discuss these challenges learn from each other and strengthen local, national and regional capacities to manage interdependence.

“MCMI is an integral part of World Bank and European partnership to promote regional integration through knowledge sharing, innovation and harmonization of standards, regulation and laying ground work for regional development project. More than ever national development strategies need to take interdependence into account. Mediterranean countries need to make informed policy choices to realize the potential of interdependence. Our partner countries are therefore keen to learn from each other’s experiences, successes and development challenges. We are striving to ensure this partnership results in concrete deliverable for the benefit of the region to reduce unemployment and poverty.” says Shamshad Akhtar, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region.

The MCMI areas of engagement include five clusters with 14 programs focusing on:
(i) urban and spatial development;
(ii) sustainable development;
(iii) transport and logistics;
(iv) skills, employment and labor mobility challenges including youth and;
(v) knowledge economy, innovation and technology.

“In the Mediterranean Basin which is one of the most populated arid region, we need to look together for the means to preserve the common space and public goods we are sharing in order to ensure sustainability for the population of the region. This is indeed what the MCMI aims at, and the meaning we ambition to convey concerning "the Mediterranean integration". says Christian Masset, General Director of Globalization, Development and Partnerships, French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Coordinating these programs through the Center’s platform will allow for more efficiency and better synergies notably through sharing of experiences, policy strategies, highlighting lessons learned and case studies, and proposing analytical tools to benchmark countries’ progress.

“The Marseille Center for Mediterranean Integration brings innovation in the field of technical assistance to Mediterranean countries. On the one hand, multilateral donors such as the World Bank and the EIB, and bilateral donors mutualize their assistance effort to the modernization of Country Members public policies. On the other hand, they enrich their respective approaches by linking to other non-financial development players such as academic networks, United Nations agencies and civil society representatives. The countries of the Southern rim of the Meditarean are fully on board as founding members, and participate both to the design and implementation of activities, thus laying the ground for an equal partnership.” says Philippe de Fontaine Vive, EIB Vice President.

The MCMI is a World Bank administered platform for multi-partner programs. It will be guided by a 12-member Strategic Council, representing various partners, who will provide strategic orientation.

The City of Marseille is a key partner and can facilitate innovative cooperation by hosting other institutions for Mediterranean cooperation including United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Plan Bleu.

“As a Founding Member of the MCMI, the City of Marseille will have the opportunity to upgrade its skills and know-how through multilateral cooperation programs. The developed programs will benefit from a leverage effect thanks to the pooling of financial means carried out by each partner. The Phoecean City thus reinforces its strategic position in the Mediterranean Basin” says Jean-Claude Gaudin, Senator – Mayor of Marseille.

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For more information on World Bank’s program in the Middle East and North Africa, please visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/mena

The World Bank Group Reinforces its Support to MENA Countries in response to the Global Financial Crisis

2009-07-24T20:02:08.000Z

Contacts

In Washington:

Najat Yamouri

Office: 202-458-1340

nyamouri@worldbank.org

Dina Elnaggar

Office: 202-473-3245

delnaggar@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2009 — The World Bank Group (the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) committed US$ billion 3.2 in fiscal year 2009 to MENA countries as they continue to manage the impact of the global financial crisis while maintaining the pace of reforms for economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

“In MENA, the need for rapid interventions and an early response to governments in the region was critical to ensure speedy recovery, and to mitigate the impact of the crisis on growth and poverty particularly in countries undergoing economic transition, political change and conflict affected countries,” said Shamshad Akhtar, Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa region. “Looking ahead, we will continue to build on the pace and momentum of our assistance to ensure that MENA countries broaden and deepen economic and social reforms to adhere to macroeconomic stability, achieve social cohesion and have the opportunity to benefit from global economic integration. Our focus will remain on supporting key macroeconomic policy reforms, investing in critical infrastructure as well as in human capital, and strengthening social safety nets, so that the hard-fought gains of reforms are not jeopardized.” The World Bank is also starting to foster regional cooperation through the Arab World Initiative which would facilitate greater economic stability and growth.

During fiscal year 2009 (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009), the World Bank Group placed high priority on helping countries respond to the food, fuel, financial and economic crises. In terms of results, a number of operations were delivered which have already helped mitigate the impact of these crises on the poor. Examples include: financial support for the food crisis in Djibouti, Yemen and West Bank & Gaza in addition to the rapid response to the Yemen flood emergency situation, for which IDA provided a $35 million grant. In addition, several projects and technical assistance was provided to address bottlenecks and shortages as well as capacity development in the financial, infrastructure, food security, education and social protection sectors in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia. Commitments from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) to middle income and low income countries respectively totaled US$1.9 billion in fiscal year 2009, a record high for the World Bank portfolio in the MENA region.

“The rising demand from countries across the region for the World Bank’s financial and technical assistance is evidence of the enhanced partnerships that we are developing with countries across MENA, “ said Emmanuel Mbi, Director of Strategy and Operations in the MENA region. “We are doing our best to tailor our responses and instruments to the needs of our partners and to contribute to their efforts to encourage economic growth and to reduce poverty under such challenging conditions.”

IFC

IFC's investments in the Middle East and North Africa were around US$1.3 billion in 46 projects in 12 countries in fiscal year 2009. IFC's Advisory Services increased its expenditure to more than $19 million, up substantially from $5.7 million four years ago to support private sector–led growth in the region. To address the effects of the financial crisis in the region, IFC offered investment and advisory services products to support clients in these challenging times. For example, IFC worked closely with many of its client banks across the Middle East and North Africa region to assist them in structuring robust risk management systems to help reverse the decline in trade flows in the region, IFC provided around US$500 million of trade finance to banks in Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

“In laying out his vision for the World Bank Group, President Robert Zoellick has suggested six strategic themes. One of them is to help advance development and opportunity in the Arab world. During this year we focused our financial strength and global expertise to bring investment and advisory solutions where they are needed most, especially in less developed countries and countries affected by conflicts. The success of our investments is demonstrating the viability of these markets. This in return contributes to the broader goal of spurring economic growth and creating much needed jobs in a region with high unemployment rates," said Michael Essex, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

MIGA

In the MENA region, MIGA is facilitating investments that can help countries overcome their over-reliance on oil income, while creating jobs and supporting the private sector as they make investments inside and outside the region. Since 1988, MIGA has issued nearly US$1 billion in guarantees in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as some US$881 million in guarantees to MENA-based companies and banks investing in developing countries outside the region.

In October, 2008, Iraq joined MIGA. "There is a growing business interest in investing in Iraq. However the business climate is not yet there,” said Izumi Kobayashi, MIGA’s Executive Vice President. “We are tailoring our instruments to enhance our responsiveness to support Iraq and other MENA countries in managing a stable economy and promoting private sector investments in a developing business environment,” she added.

Qatar: First Gulf Country Joins World Bank-led Effort to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions from Gas Flaring

2009-01-26T15:52:08.000Z

Contacts:

In Washington, DC:

Mauricio Rios (202) 458-2458

mrios@worldbank.org

In Doha:

Aysha Ferozie +971504589116

Aferozie@worldbank.org

DOHA, January 25, 2009 — The World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership (GGFR) today officially welcomed Qatar as the first of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to join the global effort to reduce the flaring of gas associated to oil production.

In a ceremony in Doha, the World Bank called on other oil producing countries and companies in the Middle East to join worldwide efforts of reducing the venting or flaring of natural gas, and of increasing energy efficiency to mitigate climate change. Besides Qatar, other GCC states include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE. So far, the only Middle Eastern country that had joined the gas flaring reduction partnership was Iraq.

When drilling for crude oil, gas usually comes to the surface as well and is often vented or flared instead of used for private or commercial consumption. The World Bank-led partnership between governments and companies tries to address this problem by working to reduce the environmentally harmful waste of gas.

“We welcome Qatar to the GGFR partnership and hope that other Gulf States will follow its example in joining the global gas flaring reduction effort,” said Somit Varma, the World Bank Group’s Director for Oil, Gas, Mining and Chemicals. “Limiting the environmentally harmful waste of gas in the oil-rich Middle East is critical to our goal of reducing global CO2 emissions and instead using associated gas for productive purposes.”

The GGFR partnership estimates that globally some 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas are flared or wasted every year, adding about 400 million tons of greenhouse gases in annual emissions. This is equivalent to almost all the potential yearly emission reductions from projects currently submitted under the Kyoto mechanisms.

Gas Flaring in the Middle East and North Africa region is about 45 billion cubic meters, which makes it the second-largest flaring region in the world after Russia and the Caspian (about 60 bcm). Sub-Saharan Africa is the third-largest flaring region (about 35 bcm). The amount of gas flared in the Middle East alone (about 30 bcm) could feed a 20 million ton liquefied natural gas plant.

“It is indeed a matter of pride for Qatar that our country has become the first in the Arabian Gulf to join a World Bank program to bring down greenhouse gas emissions,” said HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Qatar Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry who is also the Chairman & Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum.

“The State of Qatar is committed to achieving its zero- flaring target and I believe that by joining the GGFR, we will be able to achieve our goals and thereby maintain and preserve our environment for our people and for future generations,”he added.

The specific focus of Qatar’s efforts is to: eliminate routine sources of associated gas venting that could be captured and conserved, and, eliminate or reduce the large sources of associated gas flaring, primarily the major sources of continuous production flaring, other than those related to emergency, safety, and operational upset. It outlines a cooperative approach for identifying feasible gas utilization alternatives that aims at reducing gas flaring.

The state of Qatar isworking hard towards a goal of no harm to people and no harm to the environment. Maintaining the quality of the environment for future generations is an important part of these efforts.

GGFR is a public-private partnership of governments, state-owned companies and major international oil companies committed to reducing flaring and venting worldwide. The GGFR partnership facilitates and supports national efforts to use the associated gas that comes with oil production and thus reduce flaring, by tackling the lack of effective regulatory frameworks and the constraints on gas utilization, such as insufficient infrastructure and poor access to local and international energy markets, particularly in developing countries.

Background information:

What is gas flaring?

When crude oil is brought to the surface from several kilometers below, gas associated with such oil extraction usually comes to the surface as well. If oil is produced in areas of the world which lack gas infrastructure or a nearby gas market, a significant portion of this associated gas may be released into the atmosphere, un-ignited (vented) or ignited (flared).

On GGFR

Launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August 2002, the GGFR public-private partnership brings around the table representatives of governments of oil-producing countries, state-owned companies and major international oil companies so that they can together overcome the barriers to reducing gas flaring by sharing global best practices and implementing country specific programs in gas flaring countries, with funding provided in part by the European Union, the World Bank, oil companies and donor countries.

GGFR partners and donors

The GGFR partnership, managed and facilitated by a team at the World Bank in Washington, DC, includes the following partners: Algeria (Sonatrach), Angola (Sonangol), Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Canada (CIDA), Chad, Ecuador (PetroEcuador), Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Khanty-Mansijsysk (Russia), Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, the United States (DOE) and Uzbekistan; BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ENI, ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil, Shell, StatoilHydro, TOTAL, Qatar Petroleum; OPEC Secretariat, European Union, the World Bank and the IFC.

Arab World Can Play Bigger Role in World Economy, Zoellick says

2009-01-19T09:15:00.000Z

Contacts:

In Kuwait: Dina El Naggar

+1 443 554 6136

Delnaggar@worldbank.org

Kuwait, January 19. 2009—The Arab world can play a bigger role in the response to the global economic crisis and offer greater opportunities for its people, said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.

Addressing the Arab Economic and Social Summit held in Kuwait, Zoellick said the World Bank wants to help the Arab world play a bigger global role by partnering with it on development and South-South cooperation, expanding social and economic opportunities for countries within or neighboring the region, and helping with climate change challenges such as desertification and water scarcity.

Zoellick said it was even more important that the Arab world continue to prioritize economic, social, and human development; the alleviation of poverty and illiteracy; protection of the environment; creation of job opportunities and health care. These priorities of the Arab world were well aligned with those of G20 leaders considering a response to the global crisis.

“The Arab World must be part of this global response,” Zoellick told delegates at the High Level Economic Summit which focused on regional economic integration and the impact of the global financial and food crisis on Arab countries. “It is a region that can – and should – play a larger role in the global economy. This is necessary if the Arab World is to offer greater opportunities to its own citizens – especially young people. But it is also necessary if international partners are to make progress on shared challenges, from assisting fragile and post-conflict states, to promoting peace, to addressing climate change.”

Zoellick met with several Arab leaders on the sidelines of the summit to discuss opportunities for economic growth and address a range of development challenges. In his speech, Zoellick noted that many of the challenges that the region faces pre-dated today’s global economic crisis. These testing times call for stepping up country level reforms and regional efforts to cut high levels of unemployment, especially among youth and women, improve education, enhance investments by the private sector, and diversify economies.

Within the context of the Arab World Initiative, the World Bank has been engaged with the Arab League and a number of regional development organizations to advance and exchange knowledge and experiences on a range of development issues. These include education quality, water scarcity, infrastructure investment, trade and private sector development as well as managing food price shocks that accompanied the global food crisis.

“With effective, accountable institutions; strong support for the business environment; world-class education; full participation of women in society and the economy; and sustainable management of scarce water resources, the region is ready to contribute to, as well as benefit from, an inclusive and sustainable globalization,“ said Zoellick.

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For more information on the World Bank Program in the Middle East and North Africa Region, please visit www.worldbank.org/mna

Consultations on the Bank Web Site

2008-12-09T15:37:38.000Z

Dear reader,

A few years ago, the World Bank’s Web site was noted as a leader among development organizations’ websites. As technology has rapidly advanced and user expectations evolved, our Web site too needs to change and adapt.

You come to our Web site because you are looking for the latest information on development. Our project information, data and research assist you in tackling your challenges or keeping up on the Bank’s activities.

Now we’re catching up. We are revamping our Web site and expanding our online capabilities to better satisfy our business needs and meet audience demands.

We’re examining all aspects of the site—content, technology, business needs and audience demands—to figure out what needs to stay, be improved or be removed.

This is a complex undertaking. We are currently gathering information to determine requirements for our future site.

Through our open online consultation, we are looking for comments from anyone who wishes to discuss their information needs and any difficulties they encounter with the site. The online consultation period ends on December 31, 2008.

All feedback we receive will inform the future design and functionality of the Web site by informing Bank management on audience needs.

Our ultimate goal is to make the Web site better support the institution’s mission of fighting global poverty and helping countries develop.

Your feedback will bring us closer to this goal.

Thank you,

Angie Gentile
Managing Editor, www.worldbank.org

Global Food and Fuel Crisis Will Increase Malnourished by 44 Million

2008-10-08T17:30:00.000Z

Contacts:
In Washington :Carl Hanlon 202-473-8087; chanlon@worldbank.org;
Philip Hay 202-473-1796
phay@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, October 8, 2008 – High food and fuel prices will increase the number of malnourished people around the world in 2008 by 44 million to reach a total of 967 million, a report from the World Bank says.

While food and fuel price increases may have moderated in recent months, prices remain much higher than previous years and show few signs of declining significantly, according to the report entitled “Rising food and fuel prices: addressing the risks to future generations”. Poor families around the world are being pushed to the brink of survival, causing irreparable damage to the health of millions of children. As families cut back on spending, there are also grave risks for the educational performance of poor children.

“While people in the developed world are focused on the financial crisis, many forget that a human crisis is rapidly unfolding in developing countries. It is pushing poor people to the brink of survival,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “The financial crisis will only make it more difficult for developing countries to protect their most vulnerable people from the impact of rising food and fuel costs.”

The report, due to be presented on Sunday to the Development Committee at the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, says the food and fuel crisis could have long term effects on poor people and countries. Malnourished children cannot develop into healthy adults and become productive members of society who can contribute to the growth needed to lift themselves and their country out of poverty.

The report says priority should be given to a series of targeted measures. These include:

Making existing targeted cash (or near cash) transfer programs more generous;
Getting nutrition to infants and pregnant women;
expanding so-called ”in-kind” food distribution programs including school feeding and the distribution of fortified calorically dense food;
using fee waivers, lifeline-pricing and other forms of targeted subsidies for poor users/consumers; and
introducing additional measures to prevent children from dropping out of school, such as fee waivers, subsidies for school inputs, or cash transfers.

The report also argues that allocating the necessary amount of budget to finance an expansion of safety net programs may require pruning less-priority spending in other areas. But it notes that well-designed safety net programs do not have to be prohibitively expensive to be effective. Some of the most successful programs in the world cost well under 1 percent of Gross Domestic Product. Moreover, investing in safety net programs now will give governments new tools to address not just the current crisis, but future ones as well.

In May, the World Bank launched a $1.2 billion rapid financing facility to help poor countries cope with the food crisis. Since then, around US$850 million has been committed to finance seeds, plantings, and feeding programs. In April, Zoellick called for a New Deal for Global Food Policy that included short, medium and long-term measures to provide immediate help to poor people and farmers while increasing food production.

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For more information on the Bank's work in nutrition, please visit: www.worldbank.org/nutrition

and for more on social safety nets, click here: www.worldbank.org/safetynets

MENA Economies Are Growing but Need to Continue With Structural Reforms to Keep Up In an Increasingly Competitive World

2008-06-30T18:00:00.000Z

Contact:

Omer Karasapan

(202) 473-8177

okarasapan@worldbank.org

Washington June 30, 2008 — According to MENA Economic Prospects and Developments 2008, the GDP of the MENA region grew by 5.7 percent in 2007, marking the fifth year in a row that average growth was above 5 percent. While this is impressive in relation to past performance, it is lower than growth achieved in most other parts of the developing world. To keep up in an increasingly competitive global environment, the region will have to continue to make structural reforms in business climate, trade policy and governance.

"Despite notable improvements in the business climate in some countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as a whole the region has failed to keep pace with business climate reforms elsewhere," said Carlos Silva (Lead Economist). He added: “Regardingtrade reforms, substantial progress has been made in reducing tariffs and the time required for import and export processing yet non-tariff barriers remain high and many aspects of trade logistics performance, reflecting the quality of customs, ports and transport arrangements, still need to be addressed.”

The report notes that progress with regard to governance has been mixed. On the one hand, the quality of public administration remains relatively high in MENA, ranking above East Asia, Latin America, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. On the other hand, the quality of public accountability remains relatively low in MENA, ranking below all other regions of the world. However, in terms of reform efforts devoted to improving accountability, MENA ranked in the 67^th percentile, above all other regions. This reflects a range of recent improvements in combating corruption, addressing weaknesses in the judiciary, improving property rights, and streamlining bureaucracy, especially among the GCC countries.

On the impact of rising food prices, Farrukh Iqbal (Sector Manager) said that this varies from country to country: "Low income countries that are relatively big food importers in terms of proportion of imports and consumption are at highest risk: examples include Djibouti and Yemen.” He added: “Some countries are feeling the pressure of increasing food prices directly in national budgets. For example Egypt, Iran, and Syria have seen food subsidies claim shares of between 4 - 8 % of their budgets in 2007. Among GCC countries, the main manifestation of food price increases has been in inflation."

The thematic focus of this year’s report is intra-regional integration. This is viewed not just as a set of preferential trade agreements but also as a means to foster the flow of labor, capital and investment. The report suggests the adoption of a paradigm of open regionalism in which regional preferences would be used as stepping stones for global integration and competitiveness.

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New report on economic growth offers lessons on achieving sustained, high economic growth

2008-05-21T17:11:32.000Z

Contacts:

In Washington:

Maya Brahmam at +1-202-473-6231 or email at mbrahmam@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2008 – The World Bank Group welcomes a new report by the independent Commission on Growth and Development, a global panel of eminent experts, which reveals important lessons from countries that have achieved high, long-term economic growth. The experts say the lessons learned could help policy makers in developing countries as they seek to set their countries on a steady growth path.

The Growth Report: Strategies for Sustained Growth and Inclusive Development says integration into the world economy, maintaining high rates of savings and investment, and committed, capable governments are among the key features of countries that have sustained growth rates above 7 percent for 25 uninterrupted years since World War II.

"This report underscores to the development community that one size doesn’t fit all." said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. I am especially pleased that it draws on input from first class practitioners and leaders who have hands-on pragmatic and practical experience of making inclusive development a success. This will help enrich the thinking and practice of the World Bank Group as well as others in the development field.” “

High, long-lasting growth is not easily achieved, but the report by some of the world’s top policy-makers and thinkers, believes it can be reproduced in developing countries, giving them a chance to reduce poverty and improve opportunity and quality of life for their citizens.

“We are acutely aware that there are no silver bullets to create long-running, inclusive growth, and that no single paradigm exists,” says Commission Vice Chair Danny Leipziger, who is also Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management at the World Bank. “While seeking to identify those key elements that can lead to long running and inclusive growth, the report is clear that policy makers will need to customize and experiment with polices rather than follow any rigid set of guidelines.”

Commission Chairman Michael Spence said: " What makes the report so unique is that it was prepared by policymakers, many from developing countries, who have been in the trenches themselves and have learned what works and why. It is these commissioners who are now providing their insights to the next generation of policymakers on ways to improve growth prospects and the quality of life in the poor parts of the globe."

Spence is one of two Nobel Laureates on the 21-member commission comprising leaders from business, government and academia. The Commissioners come from 18 countries that include a broad mix of developing, emerging and developed economies, as well as small island states and populous, large countries.

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To download full report click here:

http://www.growthcommission.org/

World Bank Broadens Transport Agenda

2008-05-21T17:00:00.000Z

Contacts
In Washington:
Roger Morier (202) 473 5675, rmorier@worldbank.org
Anna Piasecka (202) 458 7027, apiasecka@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2008 – The World Bank Group today launched a new transport business strategy for 2008-2012 that will help partner countries establish the governance, strategies, policies and services to deliver transport for development in a way that is economically, financially, environmentally and socially sustainable.

Called Safe, Clean, and Affordable… Transport for Development, the business strategy strengthens the alignment of the transport sector approach with the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2000. At the same time, it widens the directions and deepens the routes that will be taken to meet the evolving development agenda. It gives more attention to emerging trends, such as trade globalization, urbanization of populations; rising concerns about climate change, the increase in traffic congestion; and the recognition of access as a key to both economic opportunity and good governance.

“In striving to achieve its development objectives—and foremost to eradicate poverty—the World Bank Group is mobilizing the transport sector to the fullest possible extent,” said Katherine Sierra, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development. ”To that end, the transport business strategy aligns Bank Group instruments along a few key strategic directions that will pave the way to truly sustainable development, one where transport plays a crucial role.”

“In a world with rising levels of greenhouse gases, poor road safety, and the too-frequent spread of communicable diseases along international routes, transport must be looked at anew. A coherent way forward requires innovative thinking and cooperation among sectors to optimize the role of transport without jeopardizing personal and commercial mobility.”

The Bank Group consulted widely in preparing its new business strategy, seeking contributions from over 75 transport development partners, governments, professional institutions, civil society organizations, multilateral and bilateral donors, and putting an early draft on its external website for four months to elicit public comments.

Safe Transport
Acknowledging the importance of transport for achieving public health outcomes within the Millennium Development Goals, the strategy stresses the need to mitigate the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to address safety in all transport modes, especially road transport. It also addresses the safety issue in air transport which, although globally much safer, still shows a safety record significantly affecting growth and investment prospects in some regions, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa. Transport and supply-chain security has also become a major issue in ensuring fair access of developing country exports to developed markets, and needs to be addressed as a new global public good.

“Road crashes kill an estimated 1.2 million people a year and injure 50 million more, disproportionately affecting the poor,” said Anthony Bliss, Lead Road Safety Specialist, Program Coordinator for the World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility. “We are placing special emphasis on road safety, extending our support to include not only road safety components embedded in road infrastructure projects, but also larger stand-alone projects to formulate national policies and strategies that would improve road safety across the board. We will also pursue cross-sectoral approaches, such as including pre-hospital components in road programs and road safety components in health programs.”

Clean Transport
Urban air pollution, 90 percent of it generated by motor vehicles, kills an estimated 800,000 people each year. Transport now produces approximately 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reflecting the contribution of transport to the wider environmental aims of the Millennium Development Goals, the strategy encompasses the transport-energy-environment nexus, from the energy consumption to the emissions and climate change impact perspectives. Going forward, the World Bank Group will be working to help restrain transport energy consumption. It will be assessing and controlling transport projects emissions, favoring shifts to low carbon modes.

“We are setting guidelines for environmentally effective transport planning and decision making,” said Jamal Saghir, Director, Energy, Transport and Water Department and Chair of the Transport Sector Board. “We are seeking ways to mitigate the effects of transport on the climate—and the effects of climate change on transport asset. We intend to build climate change issues into transport project appraisals where appropriate.”

Affordable Transport
An estimated 1 billion people in low-income countries lack access to an all-weather road. Affordable transport can enhance mobility and inclusion. It can promote social, economic, and political integration, by keeping a country together despite geographic disparities, by overcoming potential disputes over access to resources, and by defusing the seeds of conflict that sometimes arise from feelings of isolation.

Marc Juhel, Sector Manager for Transport stressed the fact that affordability concerns not only the rural and urban poor, but also the whole freight economy, aiming at improving competitiveness to foster stronger economic growth:

“The strategy stresses the need for better knowledge and control of transport costs, for both passengers and freight, on domestic and regional, urban and rural settings. The implementation of an effective urban transport strategy, reaching out to the growing urban poor population, is a key element of this approach. On the freight side, the cooperative work on trade and transport facilitation—in particular on customs and transit issues—will be strengthened.”

World Bank contribution to transport over previous decade
Since the Bank’s 1996 transport strategy, Sustainable Transport, was endorsed by the World Bank’s Board of Directors, the Bank Group has committed around US$42 billion for more than 530 dedicated transport operations and transport components in over 500 non-transport specific projects in more than 100 client countries. Lending in fiscal year 2007 (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007) reached over US$5 billion, amounting to 20 percent of World Bank Group new annual commitments.

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View the transport business strategy—Safe, Clean, and Affordable… Transport for Development at: http://www.worldbank.org/transport

World Bank Group President Appoints Vice President of Institutional Integrity

2008-05-05T18:00:00.000Z

Contacts:
In Washington: Carl Hanlon (202) 473 8087
chanlon@worldbank.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. May 5, 2008 – World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick has named South African Leonard McCarthy to head the Bank’s Department of Institutional Integrity (INT). McCarthy has earned international recognition for investigations and prosecutions of individuals engaged in corruption as head of South Africa’s Directorate of Special Operations.

“Leonard McCarthy is recognized worldwide for his integrity, independence, and effectiveness in fighting corruption and strengthening good governance,” says Zoellick. “This is the first time that the Department of Institutional Integrity will be headed at the level of Vice President, and McCarthy brings to the post stature, skill, and tested experience. This post is critical for our work, reputation, and fiduciary duty. I am confident that he will bring effective leadership to our highest obligation to protect the Bank’s assets and hold people, businesses, and governments responsible if they steal from the poor.”

McCarthy’s work with South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority has included investigating and prosecuting high profile cases of financial crime, organized crime, and high-level corruption. He has worked closely with African governments and law enforcement officials across the globe to expose and prosecute transnational financial crime. McCarthy was formerly a Director of Public Prosecutions appointed by President Nelson Mandela.

An experienced trial lawyer, he has held numerous positions in government, including Investigating Director in the Office for Serious Economic Offenses, Deputy Attorney General in Cape Province and Senior Public Prosecutor. He holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of South Africa in Cape Town.

Following talks with the South African government, President Mbeki has agreed to release McCarthy from service, to take up the position at the World Bank on June 30, 2008.

“I am honored to receive this appointment and to be joining the World Bank, I believe strongly in its vision, said McCarthy. “President Zoellick has made clear to me the strong emphasis he places on INT’s role, its need for strong, highly skilled people who will both pursue investigations and integrate anti-corruption work into Bank projects across the world. I am committed to delivering results and building on INT’s work to strengthen financial due diligence and ensure that precious development resources benefit people who need them most.”

McCarthy was selected from a list of candidates assessed by an internal search committee with the addition of former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, who led a review of INT last year. In his report Volcker called for greater attention to protect against corruption in designing and implementing Bank programs.

Mr. Volcker has welcomed the fact that: “the Bank is now implementing the recommendations of the Panel he chaired, importantly including elevating the head of INT to the level of vice president.”

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World Bank Marks World Press Freedom Day with Study on Broadcasting and Development

2008-05-02T12:30:00.000Z

Contact:

In Washington: Christopher Neal, (202) 473-2049

Cneal1@worldbank.org

MAPUTO, May 2, 2008—The World Bank marked World Press Freedom Day by launching a study outlining conditions under which radio, television and online broadcasting can fulfil a vital role in development by making governments accountable, and giving voice to the world’s poor.

“Huge numbers of people, including those who can’t read, have access to broadcast media,” said Kreszentia Duer, of the World Bank Institute (WBI), who presented the study, Broadcasting, Voice and Accountability, at a conference here on freedom of expression hosted by UNESCO. “In countries with strong oral traditions, community broadcasting can enable people to share information and raise issues with a large audience, and hold government officials to account. This makes broadcasting a powerful tool for enhancing governance and promoting development.”

The 400-page study, subtitled A Public Interest Approach to Policy, Law and Regulation, is the result of five years of research by six media experts, including Ms. Duer, Steve Buckley, president of the World Association of Community Broadcasters; Toby Mendel, ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression; Seán Ó Siochrú, founder of the Campaign for Communication Rights in the Information Society; Monroe E. Price, of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania; and Marc Raboy, of Canada’s McGill University.

The study reviews broadcasting practices and regulations around the world, and identifies those which produce an “enabling environment” for broadcasting that is free, independent and pluralistic. These characteristics are essential, the report says, for broadcasting to perform an effective role in giving people voice, and ensuring government accountability.

Drawing from their research, the authors propose standards on freedom of expression, access to information, use and misuses of defamation law, content rules and limits to free speech, and the regulation of journalists. The study also offers guidelines on best practice for broadcast regulators, as well as the respective roles of public service, community non-profit, and commercial private sector broadcasters, all of which, it argues, should be present in a healthy media environment.

Co-author Steve Buckley notes that increased movement towards democracy in developing countries opens the way to build broadcasting that serves the public interest.

“Countries that are opening their economies, democratizing, and decentralizing public service delivery are looking for guidance on how to involve citizens in decisions that affect them,” he said. “Broadcasting, enabled by the right regulation and conditions, can empower groups through bottom-up participation.”

The book cites countries that have developed systems to enhance the quality and diversity of media content, while fully respecting freedom of expression, and identifies ways in which government regulation can expand access to broadcast media. Community broadcasting, for example, can be encouraged through special licensing arrangements that guarantee fair and equitable access to radio frequencies and financial support.

“This book focuses on useful proactive approaches to setting up, sustaining, and governing broadcasting systems across the world,” said Ruth Teer-Tomaselli, UNESCO Chair in Communication for Southern Africa at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. “It’s based on sound scholarship and provides practical advice for policymakers, media scholars and broadcasters alike.”

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For more information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/WBI/0,,contentMDK:21747844~pagePK:209023~piPK:207535~theSitePK:213799,00.html

To order: http://publications.worldbank.org/ecommerce/catalog/product?item_id=8100893

World Bank President Calls for Plan to Fight Hunger in Pre-Spring Meetings Address

2008-04-02T15:53:10.000Z

April 2, 2008—In a speech today, World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick called for a "new deal" to combat world hunger and malnutrition through a combination of emergency aid and long-term efforts to boost agricultural productivity in developing countries.

The "New Deal for a Global Food Policy" is part of a suite of initiatives Zoellick outlined to advance development in the face of skyrocketing food and oil prices. He also called for a global trade deal to be agreed as soon as possible, detailed an initiative to help countries manage their wealth earned from high energy and mineral prices in a more inclusive way, and encouraged sovereign wealth funds to create a "One Percent Solution" for equity investment in Africa.

Agricultural Assistance

The World Bank will nearly double agricultural assistance to US$800 million in Africa. Zoellick also urged wealthy nations to help the UN’s World Food Program meet some $500 million in emergency food needs.

"The United States, the European Union, Japan and other OECD countries must act now to fill this gap – or many more people will suffer and starve," Zoellick said in an address sponsored by the Center for Global Development in Washington.

Zoellick said the "New Deal for a Global Food Policy" is needed to combat the "forgotten" Millennium Development Goal of overcoming malnutrition. Only about a tenth of the resources directed at HIV/AIDS goes to fight malnutrition, which causes 3.5 million deaths a year in children under 5 and has long-lasting impacts on health and achievement.

"Hunger and malnutrition are a cause, not just a result, of poverty," said Zoellick.

The World Bank estimates 33 countries face social unrest because of soaring food and energy prices.

The New Deal requires a shift from traditional food aid to a broader concept of food and nutrition assistance, such as cash or vouchers that can help build local food markets and farm production,.and create a "Green Revolution" for Sub-Saharan Africa, said Zoellick.

"This New Deal should focus not only on hunger and nutrition, access to food and its supply, but also the interconnections with energy, yields, climate change, investment, the marginalization of women and others, and economic resiliency and growth," said Zoellick.

"Food policy needs to gain the attention of the highest political levels, because no one country or group can meet these interconnected challenges."

Zoellick said the World Bank Group can help by:

Backing emergency measures that support the poor while encouraging incentives to produce and harvest food
Offering access to technology and science to boost yields
Helping countries counter weather-related risks, such as drought
Facilitating land-titling, local currency financing, working capital, distribution and logistics, and support for services on which farmers rely

"Income gains in agriculture have three times the power in overcoming poverty than increases in other sectors, and 75 percent of the world’s poor are rural, with most involved in farming," said Zoellick.

Trade Also Key to Lower Food Prices

Zoellick said the time was "now or never" to break the impasse in global trade talks. A "fairer and more open trading system" would encourage developing country farmers to expand production, he said.

"The poor need lower food prices now. But the world’s agricultural trading system is stuck in the past. If ever there was a time to cut distorting agricultural subsidies and open markets for food imports, it must be now."

An accord would give developing countries, big and small, more opportunities to become more productive and lower prices through trade. It would also infuse confidence in an economic system stressed by financial anxiety, he said.

However, "powerful voices across the political spectrum, including in my own country, are calling for, rationalizing, protectionism," Zoellick said. "This economic isolationism signals a defeatism that will reap the losses, not the gains, of globalization."

The trade talks are also a "critical test" for striking a global deal on climate change. "If negotiators of 150 economies cannot manage the political tradeoffs of the Doha Round to reap the clear benefits, it does not auger well for bringing developed and developing countries together on a new accord for climate change."

Sovereign Wealth Funds

Zoellick also outlined a plan to encourage emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil to invest about US$30 billion in African nations through government-sponsored wealth funds.

Such sovereign wealth funds currently hold about US$3 trillion in assets. They have come under scrutiny recently because of investments outside their own countries. Zoellick noted they need transparency and should be guided by best practices to avoid politicization, but "where some see sovereign funds as a source of concern, we see opportunity," said Zoellick.

The World Bank’s "One Percent Solution" involves creating the equity investment platforms and benchmarks to attract these investors, and allocating 1 percent of the assets to African growth, development and opportunity.

"This one percent could be the start of something much bigger, across more types of funds and countries, because the investment of wealth into equity for development offers opportunity, not something to fear."

Extractive Industries Initiative

Zoellick announced a new approach to help ensure that high energy and commodity prices translate into improvements in the lives of the poor.

The EITI++ builds on the transparency and good governance concepts of the existing multi-stakeholder Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). EITI publicizes and verifies company payments and government revenues from oil, gas and mining. But many governments are emphasizing that transparent revenue reporting, while important, is not enough. The World Bank is therefore working with developing countries and other partners to frame a "comprehensive approach to supplement the original project."

EITI++ will include providing technical assistance to countries on the awarding of contracts, monitoring operations, collecting taxes, improving resource extraction and economic decisions, better managing price volatility, and investing revenues effectively in sustainable development.

An EITI++ approach will be launched in Guinea. "The successful development of Guinea’s rich resources can strengthen sustainable development for the entire region," Zoellick said.

"The EITI++ can advance inclusive and sustainable globalization by broadening the beneficiaries of resource development."

World Bank Managing Director Daboub Acknowledges Qatar’s Development Achievements

2008-03-06T19:28:40.000Z

Contacts:

Dina El Naggar (202) 473-3245, cell: (571)426-1304
Delnaggar@worldbank.org

QatarMarch 5, 2008 – World Bank Managing Director, Juan Jose Daboub, said he was impressed with Qatar’s pace of economic and social development, and its efforts to mobilize investments.

“Qatar is a valued shareholder of the World Bank Group” Daboub said. “We are exploring opportunities where the Qatari Authorities would like to draw on the Bank’s capacity to leverage knowledge and best practices from different parts of the world. In addition, we are keen to learn from Qatar’s positive experience, and share those lessons with the region and internationally”.

Within the context of advancing its global and regional integration, Qatar has a long term vision that aims at economic diversification, job creation as well as facilitating high tech, high value investments. “The Qatari experience in laying the foundation for a knowledge economy offers valuable lessons to many countries in this region and other parts across the world,” said Daboub. “At the same time, there are specialized technical areas, including the implementation of Qatar’s development strategy, pension reform, and common regional issues, such as strengthening the environmental management of the Gulf, where the World Bank Group could potentially provide technical advice to assist Qatar” he added.

Daboub’s visit to Qatar is part of ongoing World Bank Group consultations on strengthening engagement with countries in the Arab World. The “Arab World Initiative” is one of 6 strategic themes announced by World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

Daboub met with the Central Bank Governor and senior officials to consult and seek their views on priorities for World Bank engagement and opportunities for cooperation in Qatar and across the Arab World. While Arab countries are very diverse, Daboub noted that in his discussions with regional leaders, Arab partners saw a common set of issues across many countries in the region. “Arab leaders would like to see increased engagement from the World Bank Group to encourage greater integration of Arab countries with the global economy, which is necessary to provide jobs and opportunities for the people of the region”, said Daboub. “Helping to create jobs, especially for youth, women’s inclusion, managing scarce water resources and the environment, and strengthening service delivery are other areas identified by Arab leaders where the Bank can potentially play a stronger role in cooperation with regional countries and institutions.”

Daboub was joined by Merza Hasan, World Bank Executive Director for Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Daniela Gressani, World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa, Joseph Saba, World Bank Director and Marcos Ghattas, Manager for the Strategic Cooperation Program in Qatar.

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For more information on the World Bank Group in the MENA region, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/mna