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Finance and Financial Sector Development - Debt Markets Finance and Financial Sector Development - International Financial Markets International Economics and Trade - External Debt

This is the third in the series of Debt Reports for 2020 published online, at regular intervals, over the course of the year. Their aim is to provide users with analyses of evolving trends and developments related to external debt and public debt in individual countries and regional groups, with primary emphasis on low- and middle-income countries, and to keep users abreast of debt-related issues and initiatives.

Agriculture - Food Security Environment - Adaptation to Climate Change Environment - Climate Change Impacts Environment - Climate Change Mitigation and Green House Gases Environment - Climate Change and Environment Environment - Environment and Energy Efficiency Environment - Environmental Economics & Policies Environment - Green Issues Finance and Financial Sector Development - Finance and Development Governance - International Governmental Organizations

Economic growth and shared prosperity in Sub-Saharan Africa will be increasingly undermined if vulnerabilities to climate change are not addressed. Climate impacts, which are already being felt will escalate significantly, as early as 2030, causing many low-capacity countries to be even more vulnerable. Given the climate sensitivities of multiple engines of growth, agriculture, natural capital, and infrastructure, the urgency for countries to ramp up climate-smart development at scale and across the growth spectrum is an imperative. The Next Generation Africa Climate Business Plan provides a platform to further galvanize climate action by prioritizing its focus on the region’s core development challenges and priorities. The plan is grounded in the World Bank’s commitment to support climate-resilient and low carbon development across the developing world and its solid engagement in technical and financial assistance to support climate action in Africa.

Public Sector Development - Regulatory Regimes Private Sector Development - Enterprise Development & Reform Private Sector Development - Legal Regulation and Business Environment

The doing business indicators have served as a trigger for countries to identify and implement business environment reforms. In response to client demand for technical assistance in the areas measured by doing business, the World Bank Group launched the doing business reform advisory (DBRA) unit in 2007. In the subsequent decade, the team assisted 117 governments with 664 reforms. The report takes stock of these results and identifies key lessons learned. The report identifies key features of successful reformers, which include adopting a high-level, long-term vision to improve the business environment, leading reform programs at the highest level of government, promoting evidence-based policies and data-driven decision-making, and involving the private sector for reform design, accountability and impact. These are among the key principles that underpin the design of the country programs and its reforms. It further illustrates how the adaptability and capacity to evolve into new areas have been essential in the face of growing client demand.

Education - Education For All Environment - Climate Change and Environment Finance and Financial Sector Development - Capital Markets and Capital Flows Finance and Financial Sector Development - Debt Markets Governance - International Governmental Organizations Poverty Reduction - Achieving Shared Growth Social Development - Social Inclusion & Institutions

This World Bank Sustainable Development Bond Impact Report 2019 is the first impact report covering all World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD) bond issuance and the entire portfolio of IBRD’s development activities. The Sustainable Development Bond Impact Report 2019 describes how IBRD bond proceeds support the financing of sustainable development across a variety of sectors and how project results align to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report is a key part of the World Bank’s efforts to engage market participants to support capital markets with strong transparency and disclosure standards and improve market participation to direct greater capital flows to sustainable purposes. The report provides an overview of how the World Bank engages with investors when issuing Sustainable Development Bonds using the SDGs as a framework and highlights related transactions. The Impact Highlights section maps results to the SDGs for 71 IBRD projects completed in fiscal year 2019 and provides forward looking information for the 84 projects that were approved and started disbursing in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 – the period for which IBRD introduced detailed use of proceeds language for its bonds. The report also provides information on the World Bank Group’s response to the coronavirus pandemic including examples of projects in countries eligible for IBRD financing. The impact report was prepared in consultation with investors and other capital market stakeholders, as an integral part of the process, to ensure the report met investor expectations. In addition to providing information on results, the report outlines the World Bank’s operational processes and safeguards and alignment of its bond issuance with market frameworks, namely the Sustainability Bond Guidelines coordinated by the International Capital Market Association.

Poverty Reduction - Access of Poor to Social Services Poverty Reduction - Migration and Development Social Protections and Labor - Safety Nets and Transfers Social Protections and Labor - Social Protections & Assistance

The people of the Mashreq have seen more than their share of deaths, economic losses, and instability over the past decade. As the decade-long conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic created new challenges and worsened the existing ones, economic activity declined, labor markets deteriorated, and poverty increased. These trends would overwhelm even the most advanced economies in the world. The Fallout of War: The Regional Consequences of the Conflict in Syria identifies the impact of the Syrian conflict on economic and social outcomes in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. It combines a large number of data sources, statistical approaches, and a suite of economic models to isolate the specific impact of the Syrian conflict from that of global and regional factors, and it explicitly analyzes the mechanisms through which such an impact is manifested. The analysis suggests that a persistent short-termism in policy making has so far propagated the shock emanating from the Syrian conflict, which led to costly and ineffective service provision, lost economic opportunities, and underfunded programs. The report advocates for a fundamental shift from the short-term mitigation policies to a medium-term regional strategy to address pertinent structural problems. Moreover, as the countries in the Mashreq look toward recovery, a policy approach that takes into account the region’s interconnectedness and seeks to build on it provides better prospects for the people. Such a regional approach that addresses cross-boundary issues—including migration, trade, and infrastructure—will require local, regional, and international commitments.

Gender - Gender and Economics International Economics and Trade - Poverty and Trade International Economics and Trade - Trade Policy Poverty Reduction - Inequality

Trade can dramatically improve women’s lives, creating new jobs, enhancing consumer choices, and increasing women’s bargaining power in society. It can also lead to job losses and a concentration of work in low-skilled employment. Given the complexity and specificity of the relationship between trade and gender, it is essential to assess the potential impact of trade policy on both women and men and to develop appropriate, evidence-based policies to ensure that trade helps to enhance opportunities for all. Research on gender equality and trade has been constrained by limited data and a lack of understanding of the connections among the economic roles that women play as workers, consumers, and decision makers. Building on new analyses and new sex-disaggregated data, Women and Trade: The Role of Trade in Promoting Gender Equality aims to advance the understanding of the relationship between trade and gender equality and to identify a series of opportunities through which trade can improve the lives of women.

International Economics and Trade - Poverty and Trade International Economics and Trade - Trade Liberalization International Economics and Trade - Trade Policy International Economics and Trade - Trade and Multilateral Issues International Economics and Trade - Trade and Regional Integration Poverty Reduction - Inequality

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement will create the largest free trade area in the world, measured by the number of countries participating. The pact will connect 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined GDP valued at $3.4 trillion. It has the potential to lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty by 2035. But achieving its full potential will depend on putting in place significant policy reforms and trade facilitation measures. The scope of the agreement is considerable. It will reduce tariffs among member countries and cover policy areas, such as trade facilitation and services, as well as regulatory measures, such as sanitary standards and technical barriers to trade. It will complement existing subregional economic communities and trade agreements by offering a continent-wide regulatory framework and by regulating policy areas—such as investment and intellectual property rights protection—that have not been covered in most subregional agreements. The African Continental Free Trade Area: Economic and Distributional Effects quantifies the long-term implications of the agreement for growth, trade, poverty reduction, and employment. Its analysis goes beyond that in previous studies that have largely focused on tariff and nontariff barriers in goods—by including the effects of services and trade facilitation measures, as well as the distributional impacts on poverty, employment, and wages of female and male workers. It is designed to guide policy makers as they develop and implement the extensive range of reforms needed to realize the substantial rewards that the agreement offers. The analysis shows that full implementation of AfCFTA could boost income by 7 percent, or nearly $450 billion, in 2014 prices and market exchange rates. The agreement would also significantly expand African trade—particularly intraregional trade in manufacturing. In addition, it would increase employment opportunities and wages for unskilled workers and help close the wage gap between men and women.

Governance - International Governmental Organizations Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Development Economics & Aid Effectiveness Social Development - Social Accountability

The Country Opinion Survey in Niger assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Niger perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Niger on 1) their views regarding the general environment in Niger; 2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Niger; 3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Niger; and 4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Niger.

Governance - International Governmental Organizations Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Development Economics & Aid Effectiveness Social Development - Social Accountability

The Country Opinion Survey in Panama assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Panama perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Panama on 1) their views regarding the general environment in Panama; 2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Panama; 3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Panama; and 4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Panama.

Governance - International Governmental Organizations Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Development Economics & Aid Effectiveness Social Development - Social Accountability

The Country Opinion Survey in Colombia assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Colombia perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Colombia on 1) their views regarding thegeneral environment in Colombia; 2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Colombia; 3)overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Colombia; and 4) their perceptions of the WBG’sfuture role in Colombia.

Governance - International Governmental Organizations Macroeconomics and Economic Growth - Development Economics & Aid Effectiveness Social Development - Social Accountability

The Country Opinion Survey in Sao Tome and Principe assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in Sao Tome and Principe perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Sao Tome and Principe on 1) their views regarding the general environment in Sao Tome and Principe; 2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Sao Tome and Principe; 3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Sao Tome and Principe; and 4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Sao Tome and Principe.

Finance and Financial Sector Development - Capital Markets and Capital Flows Finance and Financial Sector Development - Debt Markets International Economics and Trade - Capital Flows International Economics and Trade - External Debt

International Debt Statistics (IDS) is a longstanding annual publication of the World Bank featuring external debt statistics and analysis for the 122 low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debt Reporting System (DRS). The content coverage of this IDS includes:.1) a user guide describing the IDS tables and content, definitions and rationale for country and income groupings, data notes, and description of the additional resources and comprehensive datasets available to users online, 2) a brief overview analyzing global trends in debt stocks and debt flows to low- and middle-income countries within the framework of aggregate capital flows (debt and equity), 3) a feature story on lending by the World Bank in recognition of the institution's 75th anniversary, 4) tables and charts detailing debtor and creditor composition of debt stock and flows, terms volume and terms of new commitments, maturity structure of future debt service payments and debt burdens, measured in relation to GNI and export earnings for each country, and 5) one-page summaries per country, plus global, regional and income-group aggregates showing debt stocks and flows, relevant debt indicators and metadata for 5 years (2014-2018).

Law and Development - Private Sector Development Law Private Sector Development - Enterprise Development & Reform Private Sector Development - Legal Regulation and Business Environment Private Sector Development - Small and Medium Size Enterprises

Doing Business 2020 is the 17th in a series of annual studies investigating the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. It provides quantitative indicators covering 12 areas of the business environment in 190 economies. The goal of the Doing Business series is to provide objective data for use by governments in designing sound business regulatory policies and to encourage research on the important dimensions of the regulatory environment for firms.

International Economics and Trade - Globalization and Financial Integration International Economics and Trade - International Trade and Trade Rules International Economics and Trade - Poverty and Trade International Economics and Trade - Trade Policy International Economics and Trade - Trade and Labor Private Sector Development - Global Value Chains and Business Clustering

Global value chains (GVCs) powered the surge of international trade after 1990 and now account for almost half of all trade. This shift enabled an unprecedented economic convergence: poor countries grew rapidly and began to catch up with richer countries. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, however, the growth of trade has been sluggish and the expansion of GVCs has stalled. Meanwhile, serious threats have emerged to the model of trade-led growth. New technologies could draw production closer to the consumer and reduce the demand for labor. And conflicts among large countries could lead to a retrenchment or a segmentation of GVCs. This book examines whether there is still a path to development through GVCs and trade. It concludes that technological change is, at this stage, more a boon than a curse. GVCs can continue to boost growth, create better jobs, and reduce poverty provided that developing countries implement deeper reforms to promote GVC participation; industrial countries pursue open, predictable policies; and all countries revive multilateral cooperation.

Finance and Financial Sector Development - Banks & Banking Reform Finance and Financial Sector Development - Finance and Development Finance and Financial Sector Development - Financial Crisis Management & Restructuring Finance and Financial Sector Development - Financial Regulation & Supervision Finance and Financial Sector Development - International Financial Markets

Over a decade has passed since the collapse of the U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers marked the onset of the largest global economic crisis since the Great Depression. The crisis revealed major shortcomings in market discipline, regulation, and supervision, and reopened important policy debates on financial regulation. Since the onset of the crisis, emphasis has been placed on better regulation of banking systems and on enhancing the tools available to supervisory agencies to oversee banks and intervene speedily in case of distress. Drawing on 10 years of data and analysis, the Global Financial Development Report 2019/2020 uncovers new evidence on the regulatory remedies adopted to prevent future financial troubles, and particularly the impact of reforms on market discipline and bank capital. Countries should design and enforce regulations that are appropriate for the institutional environment, strength of market discipline, supervisory capacity, and business models of banks in a given country. Regulations also need to be compatible with incentives, but designing and enforcing such regulations are complex tasks, particularly where sophisticated markets do not exist and institutions are underdeveloped. Globalization and technological change are important trends that make it even more challenging to provide effective oversight of banks. The Global Financial Development Report 2019/2020 is the fifth in a World Bank series. The report also tracks financial systems in more than 200 economies before and during the global financial crisis on an accompanying website (http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/gfdr) and provides information on how banking systems are regulated and supervised around the world (http://www.worldbank.org/en/research/brief/BRSS).

Gender - Gender and Law Law and Development - Law and Gender

Women, Business and the Law 2020, the sixth edition in a series, analyzes laws and regulations affecting women’s economic inclusion in 190 economies. The Women, Business and the Law Index, composed by eight indicators structured around women’s interactions with the law as they begin, progress through and end their careers, aligns different areas of the law with the economic decisions women make at various stages of their lives. The indicators are: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. The report updates all indicators as of September 1, 2019, and builds evidence around the linkages between legal gender equality and women’s economic inclusion. By examining the economic decisions women make as they go through different stages of their working lives and the pace of reforms over the past 2 years, Women, Business and the Law makes an important contribution to research and policy discussions about the state of women’s economic opportunities and empowerment. While celebrating the progress made, the data and analysis emphasize the work still to be done to ensure economic empowerment for all.