This report shows that some investors
still perceive Aceh as a risky place to do business, despite
being relatively peaceful for almost four years. Security
incidents, relatively common in post-conflict environments,
deter businesses and individuals from investing in Aceh,
robbing the economy of necessary capital and innovation.
Other consequences of the conflict, including forms of
illegal taxation, also hurt investment. The Government of

This Investment Climate Policy Note
(ICPN) identifies the main constraints to the development of
the private sector in the Republic of Congo, based on a
survey of enterprises operating in the manufacturing and
services sectors, in Pointe Noire and Brazzaville, and to
propose specific short term recommendations to address these
constraints. The ICPN emphasizes cross-country comparisons
and benchmarks the investment climate across various firm

Despite positive, relatively broad-based
and stable growth record in recent years and immense
untapped potential in agriculture, mining and services,
Zambia's poverty rates have not declined significantly
and remain high. Income growth is limited by coordination
failures such as poor access to domestic and international
markets, inputs, extension services and information. High
indirect costs - most of which attributable to

This Investment Climate Policy Note
(ICPN) for Sierra Leone evaluates the country's
business environment by: (i) analyzing barriers to private
sector investment and growth and how they vary among
different types of firms; (ii) benchmarking Sierra
Leone's investment climate and firm performance to that
of other countries; and (iii) providing recommendations to
promote and strengthen the private sector. The ICPN is

As many as two in three people worldwide believe that ordinary citizens can make a difference in the fight against corruption. Whether it’s taking on an abusive school system, exposing a crooked driving instructor or blocking the re-election of a corrupt mayor, these individuals are demonstrating their power to bring about lasting change in their communities.

This report summarizes the key themes
and findings from three in-depth case studies of EET
programs in Ghana, Kenya, and Mozambique. Each case study
produced rich information on the programs context, the
landscape of programs in each country, and the qualitative
insights from local EET stakeholders. This report
synthesizes information from across the case studies to
analyze the extent to which these countries programs are

This report, consisting of a study
prepared by global project finance specialists Hunton and
Williams LLP and comments from six internationally reputed
economists and policy makers, provides an analytical
discussion of resource financed infrastructure (RFI)
contracting from a project finance perspective. The report
is meant as a forum for in-depth discussion and as a basis
for further research into RFI's role, risks, and

Modern political economy stresses
"society's polarization" as a determinant of
development outcomes. Among the most common dorms of social
conflict are class polarization, and ethnic polarization. A
middle class consensus is defined as a high share of income
for the middle class and a low degree of ethnic
polarization. A middle class consensus distinguishes
development successes from failures. A theoretical model

The accumulation of decent housing matters both because of the difference it makes to living standards and because of its centrality to economic development. The consequences for living standards are far-reaching. In addition to directly conferring utility, decent housing improves health and enables children to do homework. It frees up women's time and enables them to participate in the labor market. More subtly, a home and its environs affect identity and self-respect.

Tanzania is largely an agriculture-based
economy. This sector accounts for over three-quarters of
national employment, and approximately 25 percent of gross
domestic product (GDP). The national agricultural input
voucher scheme (NAIVS) is a market smart input subsidy
program designed in response to the sharp rise in global
grain and fertilizer prices in 2007 and 2008. The main aim
of the program is to raise maize and rice production, and

The fundamental rationale behind
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is that
increased transparency and knowledge of revenues from the
extractive industries will empower citizens and institutions
to hold governments accountable. By implementing EITI at the
sub national level, countries could reduce opportunities for
mismanagement or diversion of funds from sustainable
development purposes, especially for prominent oil, gas, or

Proper stewardship of revenue from the
oil, gas, and mining industries has tremendous potential to
lift people out of poverty and contribute to sustainable
development. These industries create jobs directly and
indirectly, transfer technologies and knowledge, and
generate significant income. These benefits provide
governments with a financial base for infrastructure
development and social service delivery. The extractive