Economics & Development

Ratings of the Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) for Seychelles were as follows: outcome was highly satisfactory, Bank performance was satisfactory, and M&E quality was substantial. Lessons learned include that an ambitious blue economy operation benefits from strong linkages to a national marine spatial planning process and sustained government commitment to reforms, rigorous analytics, and follow-through; where such enabling conditions are weak, a phased and gradual reform path is advisable. Introducing a novel financing instrument such as a sovereign blue bond requires a conducive environment and early, continuous communication, including broad outreach, capacity building for proponents, and facilitation of partnerships to convert interest into bankable proposals; this approach can build market confidence and establish investment facilities as credible pilots. Project design in small island contexts must recognize limited manpower and specialist capacity; constraints should be identified early, implementation arrangements adapted accordingly, and the selective use of international consultants allowed where local expertise is scarce to avoid delays and quality shortfalls. Despite the structural constraints facing Small Island Developing States, healthy ocean conservation and sustainable fisheries are achievable when diverse financial instruments are leveraged, multiple stakeholders are continuously engaged across islands and sectors, and flexibility is maintained to adjust processes and activities as realities evolve. Recommendations flowing from these lessons are to anchor fisheries and marine area reforms in a government-led marine spatial plan and secure high-level endorsement of policies and budgets before implementation; pair innovative finance with sustained awareness campaigns, streamlined application procedures, and risk-mitigating terms to accelerate uptake; build realistic staffing and procurement timelines into project design, prioritize capacity development, and predefine modalities for mobilizing external expertise; and combine grants and revolving finance with adaptive co-management, inclusive consultations, and iterative learning to sustain momentum and results in the blue economy.

Public procurement in North Macedonia amounted to 16 percent of total government expenditure in 2018, or 5 percent of gross domestic product. The country’s public procurement is also vulnerable to corruption risks, which typically push prices up, leading to overspending. To support better budget policies, this paper maps corruption and state capture risks using administrative data on public procurement and examines their impact on prices. The analysis finds that overall corruption risk decreased slightly in 2011–22, with, for example, the single bidding rate remaining around 30 percent. Estimated overpricing at the contracting stage due to corruption risks ranged between 5 and 6 percent of spending throughout the period. The highest savings potentials are presented by lowering single bidding, increasing the use of a simplified open procedure, and advertising tendering opportunities longer. Network analysis of contracting relationships reveals that the 2017 change in government weakened the centrality of high corruption risk groups of organizations, leading to an overall higher integrity core.

O sistema agroalimentar global tem sido amplamente negligenciado na luta contra as mudanças climáticas. No entanto, as emissões de gases de efeito estufa do sistema agroalimentar são tão grandes que, por si só, podem fazer com que o mundo não alcance a meta de manter as temperaturas médias globais abaixo de 1,5 graus centígrados em comparação com os níveis pré-industriais. As emissões de gases de efeito estufa do sistema agroalimentar devem ser reduzidas a zero até 2050 para alcançar essa meta. Este relatório oferece o primeiro quadro estratégico global abrangente para mitigar as contribuições do sistema agroalimentar para as mudanças climáticas, detalhando medidas acessíveis e prontamente disponíveis que podem reduzir quase um terço das emissões de aquecimento do planeta, garantindo a segurança alimentar global. Essas ações, que são urgentemente necessárias, oferecem três benefícios adicionais: melhorar a confiabilidade do fornecimento de alimentos, fortalecer a resiliência do sistema alimentar global às mudanças climáticas e proteger populações vulneráveis. Este guia prático descreve ações globais e etapas específicas que países de todos os níveis de renda podem tomar a partir de agora, focando em seis áreas-chave: investimentos, incentivos, informação, inovação, instituições e inclusão. Ao convocar a colaboração entre governos, empresas, cidadãos e organizações internacionais, ele traça um caminho para tornar o sistema agroalimentar um contribuinte significativo para enfrentar as mudanças climáticas e curar o planeta.