Abstract

In recent years, bilateral aid channeled through multilateral organizations like the World Bank has become an important vehicle for concessional finance for development. At the end of FY09, the World Bank held US$23.9 billion in trust, an amount that has doubled since FY05. While much of the growth reflects the increase in large Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs), there has also been a rapid increase in Recipient Executed Trust Funds (RETFs). This paper aims to inform internal Bank audiences and stimulate discussion on some selected issues - primarily the growing importance of RETFs as a source of finance and relevance to Bank's country level operations. The report also examines briefly the link between RETF allocations and country performance. The report finds that disbursements of RETFs grew by twenty percent over FY03-FY09. Over this period the trends in regional disbursement shares shifted away from East Asia and Pacific and South Asia Regions to Africa Region. Recipient country concentration is evident: fifty percent of the disbursements have been from six countries - Afghanistan, West Bank and Gaza, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Indonesia and China. RETF disbursements, as a share of the combined International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), and RETF, grew from five percent in FY03 to twelve percent in FY08, while that of IBRD and IDA fluctuated. The bulk of the disbursements from RETF grants were from IDA eligible countries. RETFs appear to have substituted for IDA in fragile and conflict affected states. Disbursements from RETF grants and IDA credits were broadly aligned by sector. There may be some correlation between RETF grants allocation and country performance but the results are not conclusive. The report identifies some areas for further examination: whether RETFs should complement or substitute for Bank operations in specific cases; and whether RETF allocations should be made on the basis of some need or performance based country priorities, outcomes and results. Document type: Book

Abstract

Panama's economic growth has been at the top of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region in recent years. The country s rapid growth has been largely pro-poor and translated into significant poverty reduction. The new Administration is well placed to tackle these challenges, with its commitment to maintaining an open and diversified economy and redressing social imbalances. Looking ahead, the country s main challenges are to maintain the current growth performance and ensure that its benefits are extended to all. The World Bank Group s (WBG) new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) seeks to support Panama s continued high growth, while ensuring inclusion and opportunities for marginalized groups, and bolstering resilience and sustainability. These themes are highlighted as priorities in the Government s 2014-2019 Strategic Development Plan (SDP) and in the WBG s Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD). The CPF seeks to maximize over a six-year period, the comparative advantages of the WBG, through packages of innovative public and private financing options based on cutting edge global knowledge and experience.