FY 2024 Costa Rica Country Opinion Survey Report

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the World Bank Group's activities in Costa Rica Core Insights - The survey indicates a slight improvement in stakeholders' familiarity and trust towards the World Bank Group (WBG) compared to previous years, with mean familiarity ratings increasing from 5.7 in FY21 to 6.5 in FY24 [14][24] - Stakeholders prioritize education, transport infrastructure, and crime and violence as key areas for WBG focus, with transport infrastructure rising significantly from 9% in FY21 to 43% in FY24 [60][63] - The WBG is perceived as a long-term partner, with a mean rating of 7.6 for being a long-term partner and 7.1 for openness in sharing data [70][71] Objectives - The survey aims to understand stakeholders' perceptions of the WBG, including familiarity, trust, effectiveness, and alignment with Costa Rica's development priorities [7] Methodology Overview - The survey was conducted from February to May 2024, with 647 potential participants and a response rate of 35%, resulting in 225 completed surveys [9][8] Overall Context - Respondents expressed a desire for better communication of WBG actions and more effective results-based management in projects [21][12] Key Performance Indicators - In FY24, respondents rated the WBG's relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with development priorities slightly higher than in FY21, although these increases were not statistically significant [24][26] Stakeholder Familiarity - Respondents from the Office of the President and media reported the highest familiarity with the WBG, while the private sector showed significantly lower familiarity ratings [14][15] Trust Ratings - Trust ratings for the WBG improved, with respondents from academia and civil society giving the highest ratings, while the media and national government received the lowest [18][19] Development Areas - Education remains the top priority for WBG resources, with significant increases in the prioritization of transport infrastructure and crime and violence [60][63] Effectiveness Ratings - The WBG's effectiveness in various sectors received mixed ratings, with macroeconomic stability rated highest, while transport and climate change saw declines compared to FY21 [65] Engagement and Collaboration - Stakeholders expressed a need for the WBG to collaborate more with local governments, civil society, and the private sector to enhance its impact [87][89] Financial Instruments and Knowledge Work - Respondents value the WBG's financial resources and technical assistance, with a strong emphasis on accountability in lending practices [94][96]