This report provides an analysis of the
land and water resources, as required by the World Bank, and
focuses particularly on sea ports and potential tourism. The
analysis identifies shortcomings, challenges, opportunities
and advantages in competitive operations, that would make
the best use of internal resources. The report also looks at
Issues in industrialization and modernization. At present,
the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Planning and

This report is part of a broader global
study, the Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change (EACC),
which has two principal objectives: (a) to develop a global
estimate of adaptation costs for informing international
climate negotiations; and (b) to help decision makers in
developing countries assess the risks posed by climate
change and design national strategies for adapting to it.
The purpose of this study is to assist the Government of

Policymakers in developing countries are
increasingly recognizing the necessity of developing
strategies and identifying specific investment programs to
reduce spatial differences in living standards within their
national territories. Choosing among alternate policy
instruments to support spatial convergence is not
straightforward. Should the focus be social policies that
support human development in lagging regions and promote

The agri-food sector is an important
part of the Ukrainian economy. Agriculture could make an
even larger contribution to economic growth and the vitality
of rural areas in Ukraine than is currently the case.
Ukraine has the agro-climatic potential to be a major player
on world agricultural markets. Agricultural competitiveness
in Ukraine also suffers from inadequate systems to test and
document food product quality and food safety.

This introductory section explains the
rationale for the guidance note, reflecting on the relevance
of food prices in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC),
their impact on the poor and the effect that logistics and
transport costs have on those prices. Based upon that
framework, the note provides an overview of the logistics
and transport hurdles faced by importers and consumers in
the region as food products move through the logistics

The study includes four sections: i)
brief production background; ii) description of the
Argentine soybean value chain; iii) evolution of the main
policies and institutional regimes in Argentina; iv) lessons
learned related to the political economy and the industrial
organization. The study describes the main policies
implemented in Argentina during the last two decades which
had impact on the structure of the soybean value chain and

Estimating the potential costs of
climate destabilization is not a trivial matter. Potential
climate impacts have multiple consequences, some of which
can be monetized while others are beyond the reach of
standard economic tools. A full assessment of the
implications of climate impacts often cannot be completed
because many of the consequences are only partly known. This
report summarizes data recently made available, through the

Global warming and changes in climate
have already had observed impacts on natural ecosystems and
species. Natural systems such as wetlands, mangroves, coral
reefs, cloud forests, and Arctic and high-latitude
ecosystems are especially vulnerable to climate-induced
disturbances. However, enhanced protection and management of
biological resources and habitats can mitigate the impacts
and contribute to solutions as nations and communities

Improving the investment climate is a
key pillar of the World Bank's private sector
development strategy. Without a good investment climate,
firms and entrepreneurs of all types-from farmers to
micro-enterprises to local manufacturing concerns and
multinationals-have few opportunities and incentives to
invest productively, create jobs, and expand, enter and
remain in the formal economy, and thereby contribute to

Malawi needs to focus on exports to
maintain and broaden its current inspiring levels of
economic growth. The focus of future policy should therefore
be on reforms that improve competitiveness in global and
regional markets. This does not require a fundamental shift
in direction, but instead a rebalancing of policy and
expenditures to support an outward-oriented development
framework. Until the recent global financial crisis,

The Niger Diagnostic Trade Integration
Study (DTIS) has been prepared under the Integrated
Framework (IF) for trade related technical assistance to
least developed countries in response to a request from the
Government of Burkina Faso. The study is to build the
foundation for accelerated growth by enhancing the
integration of its economy into regional and global markets.
This Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) is intended

This policy note was prepared in
response to a request from the Government of Southern Sudan
(GoSS) for World Bank assistance in developing legislative
and institutional policies and strategies that will take
advantage of the potential of the region's forest
resources to contribute to poverty alleviation, food
security, sustainable agriculture, economic growth, and to
protection of forest-related environmental services such as