Contacts:In Dhaka:   Mehrin A. Mahbub  (880-2) 8159001-28 mmahbub@worldbank.orgIn Washington: Erik Nora (202) 458 4735enora@worldbank.org  WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008— Poor families affected by last year’s cyclone SIDR, vulnerable children in urban slums, and people with disabilities stand to benefit from two new projects to Bangladesh, approved today by the World Bank. The US$50 million in additional financing for the Social Investment Program Project (SIPP) is designed to help restore assets, and livelihoods for families affected by cyclone SIDR. The cyclone caused extensive damage to lives, property, livestock, and crops, with total damage and losses estimated at US$1.7 billion. SIPP, which has already benefited over 1,000 villages across Bangladesh, was identified as the best instruments for quickly channeling funds to support livelihoods restoration at the community level.  “This is one of the operations in a series of the World Bank’s planned support to respond to Government of B...


Bangladesh - Social Investment Program Project - Additional Financing (Jul 1)
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors: IDA Credit: US$50 millionTERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 YearsProgram Description:   The project will continue supporting the Government of Bangladesh in developing effective and efficient financing and institutional arrangements to empower the poorest and most vulnerable and improve their access to small-scale local infrastructure, assets and livelihoods, with special emphasis on Cyclone-affected communities. For more information, please call Benjamin Crow at (202) 473-7105 or email bcrow@worldbank.org For more information on the additional financing for the Social Investment Program Project, please visit:http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=223547&menuPK=158861&Projectid=P073886


Bangladesh - Disability and Children-at-Risk Project (Jul 1)
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors: IDA Credit: US$35 millionTERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 YearsProgram Description: The project aims to expand the coverage, use, and quality of social care services for persons with disabilities and vulnerable children as a means of promoting equity and social inclusion. The project has these three main components: expanding disability services, improving awareness, and building capacity; establishing a network of Child Protection Services and institutional strengthening the knowledge and skills o f the managerial and technical officials in the Ministry o f Social Welfare to provide relevant and effective services for vulnerable groups, with a special focus on disability and child protection. For more information, please call Benjamin Crow at (202) 473-7105 or email bcrow@worldbank.org For program documents, please visit:http://web.worldbank.org/external...


World Bank Supports Management and Development of Water Resources in Pakistan (Jun 26)
Contacts:In Islamabad: Shahzad Sharjeel (92-51) 2279641ssharjeel@worldbank.orgIn Washington: Erik Nora (202) 458 4735enora@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, June 26, 2008 ─ The World Bank today approved a US$38 million IDA credit to the Government of Pakistan, to support management and development of water resources in the Indus River Basin. This, along with urgent reforms, is critical to meet the longer-term impact of rising food and energy needs.   The Indus Basin Irrigation System is the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world and Pakistan relies on it to provide both basic food security and to supply water for all sectors of the economy. However, this massive infrastructure network is deteriorating and needs to be rehabilitated. Equally important will be reforms to improve the allocation of water and its efficient use. The Water Sector Capacity Building and Advisory Services Project aims to improve the management of Pakistan’s water resources and strengthen those federal insti...


Pakistan- Water Sector Capacity Building and Advisory Services (Jun 26)
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2008- The following project was approved today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors:   IDA Credit: US$38 million TERMS: Maturity = 40 Years; Grace Period = 10 Years Program Description: The project aims to improve the management of Pakistan’s water resources and strengthen those federal institutions involved in water resource planning, management, and development. The project will address both institutional and human resource capacity building, as well as fundamental, technical and investment issues associated with large water infrastructure.   For more information, please call Erik Nora at (202) 458-4735or email enora@worldbank.org.    


World Bank Vice President: World Bank Will Support Efforts to Manage Food Prices in Bangladesh (Jun 25)
Dhaka, June 24, 2008 — Praful Patel, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, concluded a two-day visit to Bangladesh, in which he affirmed the World Bank will help the country deal with rising food prices. “The sharp rise in food prices has had serious impact on food consumption and nutrition levels of poor people in Bangladesh,”said Patel.  “It is crucially important that the significant gains in poverty reduction achieved here are not eroded by high food prices. The World Bank is committed to helping Bangladesh overcome this challenge by providing financing to the Government, investing in social protection programs and efforts to boost agriculture.”  Patel also urged the Government to maintain Bangladesh’s legacy of sound macroeconomic management while ensuring food security.  “The emphasis in the FY09 budget on protecting the poor from food price inflation is laudable.  However, equal care is needed to ensure that the social protection measures are well targeted in order to max...


Bangladesh - Public Procurement Reform Project (Jun 25)
Ratings for the Public Procurement Reform Project for Bangladesh were as follows: outcomes were moderately satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was substantial, the Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also moderately satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: continuity of qualified and experienced Project Director for the initial years of the project, if not for the entire period, can contribute immensely to moving difficult reform agenda forward and while providing better conduit for project implementation. Continuous efforts need to be made through successive interventions to institutionalize capacity development with a robust framework for monitoring and evaluation of procurement performance through a set of clearly defined well articulated set of indicators. Reform actions can be sequenced for a longer-term horizon with clearly laid out phased approach, most likely through a number of interventions/ projects, each with speci...


Worldwide Governance Indicators Show Some Countries Making Progress in Governance and in Fighting Corruption (Jun 24)
Contacts
In Washington: Christopher Neal (202) 473-4029cneal1@worldbank.org
Ekaterina Svirina (202) 458-1042
esvirina@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, June 24, 2008 — This year’s updated version of the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) compiled by World Bank researchers shows many developing country governments making important gains in control of corruption, and some of them matching rich country performance in overall governance measures. “Some countries are making rapid progress in governance, including in Africa, showing that a measure of ‘Afro-optimism’ is called for”, said Daniel Kaufmann, co-author of the report and Director of Governance at the World Bank Institute, while acknowledging that the data also shows large variation in performance across countries, and even among neighbors within each continent. “Progress reflects reforms in those countries where political leaders, policymakers, civil society and the private sector view good governance and corruption control as crucial f...