World Bank Public Consultations Bangladesh Country Assistance Strategy

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World Bank Public ConsultationsBangladesh
Country Assistance Strategy

• Spring 2004

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What is a CAS?

• the strategy for the Banks interventions
• harmonised with Bangladesh's national PRSP
• a process
• to help us better understanding development needs
• a document endorsed by the Banks Board
• a public statement on our approach
• ---- and goals

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What are CAS consultations?

• an opportunity for you to give us your views on
  
• the major development challenges
• how the Bank might help
• a time for Bank to listen and learn

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Recent Past - selectively engaged

• a country that was only half working
• lending approach
• investment projects
• no adjustment lending
• - waiting for reforms first
• - governance concerns limited actions in key
  sectors
• major sectors
• health, education
• rural development, rural transport
• not power, water

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Possible Future -- scaling-up seeking
enhanced relationship

• national reforms moving well
• lending approach
• more sector-wide approaches -- SWAp
• programmatic lending
• stronger partnerships
• governance built into projects
• major sectors
• human development
• infrastructure power, ports
• better government -- decentralisation

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Some Potential Areas for Involvement
More Effective Government
Enhanced Business Environment
Improved Services for the Poor

• Infrastructure
• Power

Public Administration
Decentralization
Education Health

• Water
• Arsenic

Rural Development
Macro Finance
Transparency
WBI capacity-building
Enterprise Banking
Law Justice
Social Protection
Vocational training
Monitoring
IFC
Gender
PRSC
for CAS/PRSP/MDG Goals
SWAp
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Development Challenges

• Poverty Reduction
• create opportunities jobs, jobs, jobs
• improve basic services health, water,
  education, etc.
• human security -- empowerment
• sustainable growth
• infrastructure that delivers
• business-friendly
• more effective government
• Exports - moving beyond garments
• continuing good macro-management

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We need your advice/insights

• what are the main issues and challenges for
  Bangladesh?
• are we missing some important issues?
• Where does it make sense for Bank to be most
  active? to do more?
• what to avoid!?

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Some difficult questions on our minds

• Should we seek growth first? Or should we
  concentrate on social and human development?
• Who can best deliver services to the poor
  government or NGOs? Both working as partners?
• How should can the Bank best contribute to the
  national challenge of good governance?
• Should the Bank get involved in new reform areas
  such as police, public admin, judicial?
• How important is it to decentralise government
  to local levels?