Investment Rating - The report does not provide a specific investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report emphasizes the importance of cash transfers in enhancing resilience among poor households in the Sahel region, particularly in response to climatic shocks [9] - It highlights the role of adaptive social protection systems in improving the livelihoods of vulnerable communities affected by climate change [9] Summary by Relevant Sections - **Cash Transfers and Resilience**: The report discusses how cash transfers can mitigate the impacts of climatic shocks on poor households, thereby improving their resilience [9] - **Adaptive Social Protection Systems**: It outlines the support from multiple donors to strengthen adaptive social protection systems in the Sahel, which includes countries like Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal [9] - **Behavioral Change and Development**: The report references various studies that explore the relationship between cash transfers, behavioral change, and early childhood development in low-income settings [8]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the electricity access sector in Sub-Saharan Africa Core Insights - The World Bank Group aims to support electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a target to provide access to 300 million people by 2030, addressing the significant gap in electricity access in the region [27][34] - The evaluation highlights the importance of reliable, sustainable, and affordable electricity access for improving human welfare and boosting productivity, which is essential for economic development [3][24] - The report identifies a financing gap of approximately US$35 billion to US$50 billion annually needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 for universal electricity access by 2030 [23] Summary by Sections Background and Context - The evaluation assesses the World Bank Group's contributions to electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2015 to 2024, focusing on the region's significant electricity access gaps [2][1] - Over 85% of the global population without electricity access resides in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a stark urban-rural divide in access levels [8][12] Evolution of the World Bank Group's Electricity Access Agenda - The Bank Group has engaged in systematic support for electricity access in low-access countries, developing national electrification plans and supporting various projects across Sub-Saharan Africa [25][26] - The Corporate Scorecard monitors progress in electricity access, focusing on direct and inferred access through various interventions [26] Rationale and Objective of the Evaluation - The evaluation aims to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and coherence of the Bank Group's support for scaling up electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa [34][3] - It emphasizes the need to evaluate not just connectivity but also the reliability, sustainability, and affordability of electricity access [29][30] Barriers to Electrification - Key barriers identified include insufficient planning, high costs of electrification, and unsustainable business models for power system operators [39][3] - The report stresses the importance of national electrification plans (NEPs) as a strategy for expanding access to electricity [40] Government Actions and World Bank Group Activities - The World Bank supports the design and operationalization of NEPs, providing technical assistance and resources for new connections [41][42] - The report outlines the Bank Group's role in improving regulatory frameworks to attract private sector investments in electricity access [45][46] Intermediate Outcomes and Impact - The theory of change suggests that effective interventions can lead to increased electricity access, improved welfare, and enhanced productivity for households [48][50] - The report indicates that achieving universal access requires collaboration among stakeholders, including governments, private sector participants, and development partners [50][27] Evaluation Scope and Design - The evaluation covers projects and activities from FY15 to FY24, focusing on their impact on electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa [52][51] - A mixed methods approach will be used to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and coherence of the Bank Group's interventions [60][61]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry under review. Core Insights - The paper estimates the welfare impact of the growth of imported goods variety in 28 countries in East Africa and East Asia from 1995 to 2021, revealing that African countries gained an average of 5.47% of their GDP (0.20% annually), while Asian countries (excluding Bhutan) gained 3.46% (0.13% annually) [3][16][18] - The findings emphasize that the creation and extension of trade linkages can significantly enhance welfare, particularly for small and transitioning economies, which is often overlooked in discussions about globalization and economic integration [17][18] - The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the gains from import variety, utilizing over 100,000 estimated elasticities of substitution to construct an exact price index for measuring welfare gains [3][9][54] Summary by Sections Introduction - The paper discusses the benefits of increased variety in imported goods, which leads to lower unit costs and welfare gains, contrasting with traditional studies that focus on productivity and efficiency improvements [8][9] Data and Descriptive Analysis - The analysis uses trade data from BACI covering 27 years, revealing significant growth in both the value and variety of imports across the selected countries [21][22] - The average number of imported products increased by 31% for the sample countries, with notable increases in total varieties, particularly in African countries [26][27] Methodology - The report follows the methodology established by Feenstra and Broda & Weinstein to derive an exact price index for measuring welfare gains from import variety [31][39] - The estimation of elasticities of substitution is crucial for understanding the responsiveness of demand to price changes among different varieties [50][56] Results - The average elasticity of substitution across the 28 countries is 13.0, with a median of 4.1, indicating significant potential for gains from variety due to the high differentiation of goods [56] - The report highlights that the average welfare gain from newly imported varieties from 1995 to 2021 amounts to 5.49% of GDP, with African countries showing higher gains compared to Asian countries [16][54]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry under discussion Core Insights - The report highlights the need for a holistic and inclusive parental benefits framework in Nepal to support both men and women in balancing childcare responsibilities and employment [8] - It identifies significant gaps in awareness and compliance regarding parental benefits in the formal sector, while the informal sector lacks such benefits entirely [8] - The study emphasizes the importance of addressing societal norms and policies to improve women's labor force participation, particularly in relation to childcare responsibilities [8] Summary by Sections I. Country Context and Motivation - Nepal has a young working-age population, with women constituting a significant portion, yet their labor force participation is low compared to men [15][16] - The labor force participation rate (LFPR) for women is 26% compared to 54% for men, with women more likely to be engaged in informal and subsistence work [15][16] - Gender wage gaps persist, with women earning on average 26% less than men, and the gap is larger for women in informal sectors [15][16] II. Literature Review on Impacts of Parental Benefits on Labor Market Participation - Evidence from OECD countries shows that parental benefits positively impact women's employment rates, with maternity leave linked to increased female labor force participation [32][33] - In developing countries, mandated maternity leave has been associated with increased female employment, particularly when funded by the government [36][37] III. Review of International Standards on Parental Benefits - The ILO's Maternity Protection Convention outlines minimum standards for maternity leave, but lacks provisions for paternity leave, reinforcing traditional gender roles [40][41] - The report notes that while many countries provide maternity leave, only 56% offer paid paternity leave, highlighting a gap in gender-neutral parental benefits [44][45] Part 1: De-jure Parental Benefits in Nepal - The report analyzes the legal framework for parental benefits in Nepal, identifying areas such as parental leave, cash benefits, and workplace protections that require improvement [46][47] Part 2: De-facto Implementation of Parental Benefits - A survey of 1000 urban workers reveals low awareness and uptake of parental benefits, particularly in the informal sector, where workers express willingness to contribute to a social insurance scheme [48][49] - The findings indicate that societal norms significantly influence labor market choices for mothers, while fathers are less likely to consider childcare in their employment decisions [8]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry [5]. Core Insights - The success of South Africa's green transition hinges on the availability of necessary skills for green jobs among the current and future workforce [5][20]. - The Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system needs to adapt to meet the emerging skill demands for the green economy, as many existing qualifications do not adequately cover 'green-specific' technical skills [5][20]. - Effective coordination among stakeholders, systematic data collection on skill needs, and targeted interventions are essential for aligning education and training with the demands of the green transition [6][20]. Summary by Sections 1. Introduction - South Africa's green transition aims to mitigate climate change while promoting a low-carbon economy and social equity [16]. - The share of green jobs is currently small but expected to rise significantly with the adoption of green technologies [16][18]. 2. Demand for Skills - The green transition will create new jobs and alter existing job requirements, necessitating a workforce skilled in both green-specific and generic technical skills [18][51]. - The report highlights the importance of aligning workforce skills with the changing demands of the green economy to ensure a just transition [18][51]. 3. Current Offer of PSET - The PSET system has strengths but also significant weaknesses in responding to the skill needs of the green economy, leading to skills gaps and mismatches [5][20]. - The report emphasizes the need for reforms in the PSET system to better cater to the skill demands of the green transition [6][20]. 4. Conclusions and Recommendations - Recommendations include establishing clear leadership for skill development, improving data collection on skill needs, and removing bureaucratic barriers to developing new qualifications [6][7][20]. - Targeted interventions should focus on industries and regions with clear evidence of greening momentum and skill constraints [6][20].

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - Jordan is enhancing its commitment to digital public infrastructure (DPI) to improve public service delivery, focusing on foundational platforms like digital ID and data sharing [15][18] - Despite efforts, the adoption of digital public services remains limited, with only about 1.4 million Jordanians registered on the Sanad e-services platform, which is approximately 19% of the eligible population [16][66] - The World Bank's diagnostic report aims to identify technical gaps and provide recommendations to establish a trusted, people-centric DPI ecosystem in Jordan [17][22] Summary by Sections About ID4D - The Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative by the World Bank aims to help countries realize the potential of identification systems to improve access to services and economic opportunities [9][10] Foundations and Enablers - Jordan has made significant improvements in its legal and regulatory framework to support DPI, including laws on electronic transactions and data protection [30][32] - The national ID system has achieved a coverage of 97% of the eligible population, with the new smart ID card enhancing security and privacy [37][38] Digital ID & Trust Services - The Sanad application serves as a digital ID platform, facilitating online service access, but faces challenges in user activation and integration with service providers [58][66] - Approximately 3.25 million downloads of the Sanad application have occurred, but only 1.4 million accounts have been activated, indicating a gap in user engagement [66] Data Sharing - Recommendations include integrating additional service providers into the Government Service Bus (GSB) to enhance data sharing capabilities and improve transparency [25][27] Use Cases - The report emphasizes the need to prioritize the digitalization of high-usage services and improve user experience on the Sanad platform [27][66]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The report identifies significant delays and complexities in the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) processes for jurisdictional scale REDD+ programs, which hinder access to climate finance [21][22][30] - It emphasizes the need for innovative technologies to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability in MRV processes [22][28] - The report suggests that integrating advanced technologies such as LiDAR, SAR, and high-resolution satellite imagery can significantly improve the MRV cycle [26][31] Summary by Sections I. Context - The MRV cycle under the World Bank's FCPF and ISFL is lengthy, often taking years to become functional, even in technically capable countries [30][31] - Key challenges include inconsistent methodologies, high costs, and reliance on optical satellite imagery, which can lead to delays in data collection and reporting [23][24][31] II. Implementation - The report explores the use of various technologies to improve the MRV process, including terrestrial laser scanning, unmanned aerial vehicle laser scanning, and airborne laser scanning [59][61] - A centralized cloud service combined with a decentralized data lake is proposed to address data integration challenges [42][63] III. Digital Architecture Solutions - The report highlights the need for a centralized data repository to manage and process large volumes of data effectively [74][78] - It discusses the potential of Amazon Web Services' Simple Storage Service (S3) as a foundation for the data lake, which can facilitate data storage and access [79][82]

Investment Rating - The report does not provide a specific investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - The report emphasizes the importance of universal accessibility in building regulations, highlighting that inclusive access is a societal imperative and essential for promoting equity and equality [33][40]. - It outlines the need for a robust building regulatory framework that includes universal accessibility provisions alongside structural resilience, fire safety, and sustainability [55][56]. - The report presents a Building Code Checklist for Universal Accessibility as a practical tool for policymakers and building professionals to enhance accessibility in the built environment [28][58]. Summary by Sections Overview - Rapid urbanization and population growth are expected to double global building stocks in the next 15 to 20 years, raising concerns about resilience, safety, and accessibility [22][23]. - The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) aims to promote resilient and inclusive built environments through enhanced regulatory frameworks [24][27]. Introduction - Universal accessibility is defined as a design philosophy aimed at making environments usable for a broad group of people, regardless of age or ability [40][41]. - The report discusses the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and children, emphasizing the importance of creating an inclusive environment [34][36]. Objectives - The Building Code Checklist for Universal Accessibility is designed to assist building professionals in enhancing accessibility provisions in building codes [56][58]. - It serves as both an assessment tool for current codes and a reference model for developing new codes [58]. Guidance - A systematic approach for reviewing universal accessibility provisions is outlined, guiding practitioners through steps to assess regulatory frameworks [63][66]. - The checklist is intended to work alongside other modules for fire safety, green buildings, and structural resilience [60]. Key Concepts - The report identifies six fundamental components of universal accessibility, including access routes, entrances, circulation, building facilities, fixtures, and evacuation [87][89]. - Each component is essential for ensuring that buildings are usable and accessible for all individuals [90][98]. Building Code Checklist - The checklist provides guiding questions to assess the coverage and contents of universal accessibility provisions in building regulations [101][102]. - Priority questions are highlighted to focus on critical areas deemed important by international experts [102].

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - The green transition in South Africa is expected to create new jobs while also leading to job losses, particularly in carbon-intensive sectors like coal [8][19] - The report outlines five strategies to prepare the workforce for the green transition, emphasizing the need for skills development to support employability and competitiveness [9][52] Summary by Sections A. Introduction - South Africa's green transition will significantly impact its workforce, with new job creation and changing skill requirements [8] - The report proposes strategies to enhance the skills development system to support the green transition [9] B. Global Context - A global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions is driving the need for substantial changes in various sectors, including energy and manufacturing [13] - Decarbonization is essential for maintaining competitiveness in international markets, particularly for countries reliant on exports [14] C. The Green Transition in South Africa - South Africa has ambitious goals for a Just Energy Transition, but progress has been modest due to various challenges [19] - Examples of promising investments include Toyota's R2.6 billion investment in hybrid vehicle production and renewable energy projects in the COEGA Development Cooperation [19] D. Impact on Labor and Skills Demand - The World Bank forecasts a net creation of approximately 1 million jobs in key industries affected by the green transition from 2022 to 2050, despite expected job losses in high-emission sectors [26] - The report highlights the importance of transversal skills, generic technical skills, and green-specific skills for the workforce [23] E. PSET System's Ability to Prepare Workforce - The PSET system faces structural weaknesses that hinder its performance in equipping workers with necessary skills for the green transition [39] - There is a need for better coordination among stakeholders to align education and training with labor market demands [46] F. Strategies for Workforce Preparation - The report emphasizes the importance of systematically collecting and disseminating information on skill needs for the green transition [53] - Establishing clear leadership and effective coordination mechanisms among stakeholders is crucial for preparing the workforce [57]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - Ghana's economic growth has been significantly impacted by debt accumulation, making it vulnerable to global shocks [28] - The need for stronger domestic revenue mobilization is emphasized to create fiscal space [51] - Public expenditure has been growing rapidly, burdened by interest payments on debt, and lacks spending efficiency [64] - Ineffective public financial management has undermined the effectiveness of fiscal policy [77] - The public sector wage bill is large and unpredictable, failing to meet the civil service needs [19] - Human development spending must increase with a stronger pro-poor allocation across sectors [22] - Agriculture, vital for rural livelihoods and export earnings, requires more efficient government support [26] - Policy recommendations suggest a shift from short-term crisis responses to long-term structural reforms [30] Summary by Sections Overview - Ghana's GDP growth has been fueled by debt accumulation, leading to increased vulnerability to global economic shocks [28] - The country has faced setbacks in poverty reduction and inclusive growth due to recent global crises [28] Domestic Revenue Mobilization - Ghana's domestic revenue mobilization has declined, with revenues as a share of GDP falling from 15.7% in 2017 to 13% in 2021 [51] - The report highlights the need for reforms in personal income taxes and indirect taxes to enhance revenue [51][56] Public Expenditure - Public spending in Ghana nearly doubled from 2010 to 2022, with a significant portion allocated to public sector wages and interest payments [64] - High interest payments have crowded out capital expenditures, limiting infrastructure investment [68] Public Financial Management - Major challenges in public financial management include delays in budget preparation and ineffective expenditure controls [77] - The lack of integration among various IT systems hampers efficient budget management and data accuracy [88] Human Development and Agriculture - Increased human development spending is necessary, with a focus on pro-poor allocations [22] - The agriculture sector requires better-targeted government support to enhance productivity and livelihoods [26] Policy Recommendations - The report advocates for a transition from short-term crisis management to long-term structural reforms to ensure fiscal sustainability [30]