World Bank Finds Regional Programs Effective, Vital

Globe
 

Regional programs, or development projects that transcend political borders, are vital for tackling major transboundary challenges such as slowing the spread of disease and managing shared water supplies, but they account for only 3 percent of all international development support, according to a new report from the World Bank. The report lists recommendations for promoting effective regional programs, which the Bank argues will become increasingly important as the international dimensions of health, infrastructure, the environment, and trade become more significant.

The study, The Development Potential of Regional Programs, finds that regional programs are generally effective. It cites successes such as the Regional Hydropower Development Project (RHDP), which has brought low-cost electricity to Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal, as well as the West Africa HIV/AIDS and transport program, which is working to improve access to prevention and treatment of the disease in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. The most successful programs to date have several features in common, the report finds, including a strong national commitment to regional collaboration, high government accountability, and a strategy for ensuring the sustainability of program outcomes.

The report evaluates all 19 of the World Bank’s regional programs and reviews some 100 regional operations from 1995 to 2005. It reveals that support for regional programs is limited but growing, and offers several recommendations to promote the development of better programs. These include strengthening corporate incentives to provide effective program support and working to enhance the international structure for financing regional development programs.

 

This story was produced by Eye on Earth, a joint project of the Worldwatch Institute and the blue moon fund. View the complete archive of Eye on Earth stories, or contact Staff Writer Alana Herro at aherro [AT] worldwatch [DOT] org with your questions, comments, and story ideas.