This paper, aimed at professionals, scholars, and government officials in the field of securities regulations, compares the European (specifically the Market in Financial Instruments Directive--MiFID) and U.S. securities regulations. The analysis focuses on the regulatory and supervisory framework, trading venues, and the provision of investment services. We show that although there may be regional differences in the structure and rules of current securities regulation, the objectives and some outcomes of regulation are comparable. Similarly, as the current global financial and economic...

The countries of the Southeast Europe region have the common objective of joining the European Union (EU). To achieve this goal, these countries have pursued closer integration with the EU and with each other, including signing the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). CEFTA aims to fully liberalize trade in the region and work toward greater cooperation in a number of trade-related areas, such as investment, services, public procurement, and intellectual property rights. This paper aims to help policy makers in Southeast Europe assess the impact of the recently introduced trade...

'The Education System in Malawi', an Education Country Status Report (CSR), is a detailed analysis of the current status of the education sector in Malawi, the results of which have been validated by the government of Malawi. Its main purpose is to enable decision makers to orient national policy on the basis of a factual diagnosis of the overall education sector and to provide relevant analytical information for the dialogue between the government and development partners. The analysis incorporates data and information from multiple sources, such as school administrative surveys by the...

The past decade has witnessed a major global shift in thinking about water, including the role that water infrastructure plays in sustainable development. This rethinking aims to balance better the social, economic, and environmental performance aspects in the development and management of large dams. Infrastructure strategies must complement strategies for water, environment, and energy security and for emerging concerns to reduce vulnerability in water resource systems to climate change on the horizon. Communication is central to multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnerships at all levels...

This paper, based on quantitative surveys at the level of primary health care facilities, health care personnel, and households in their vicinity, aims at understanding the performance of primary health care providers in four states in Nigeria. As possible ways to improve performance, the paper concludes that clearly defining lines of responsibility, implementing performance-based financing of local governments and providers, and collecting, analyzing, and sharing information are some options that can help realign incentives and improve accountability in the service delivery chain and service...

This paper presents unique evidence on health workers' career choices in Ethiopia. It shows that challenges like health workers' limited willingness to work in rural areas, as well as their likelihood to migrate abroad vary substantially and are correlated with background, motivation, and job satisfaction. Governments in Africa have identified human resources for health as a priority to improve health outcomes. This study is a valuable resource to better understand health worker choices and help toward the design of more effective human resource policies. This working paper was produced as...

This broad Kenya health sector assessment involved a synthesis of health systems analysis and market analysis. The health systems analysis considered the legal and regulatory framework, the policy environment, the human resource capacity, and the financing of health systems.

Forty-four African ministers of finance and of education from 28 countries met in Tunis at a July 2009 conference on "Sustaining the Education and Economic Momentum in Africa amidst the Current Global Financial Crisis." The conference attendees discussed why and how they must exercise joint political leadership during the current global economic crisis to protect the educational development achieved during the past decade. They acknowledged that educational reform is an agenda for the entire government and that strong leadership to foster cross-ministry collaboration, coordination, and mutual...

This paper proposes an innovative financing mechanism, known as the Low Carbon Development Facility (LCDF) that would bring additional investment financing at concessional rates to unlock low carbon development projects in non-Annex 1 countries, increasing project-based emissions avoidance in these countries. The LCDF could be a modality of the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund to implement the financial pledges made by Annex 1 countries as a result of Copenhagen and post-COP15 negotiations to support projects, programs, policies and/or other activities in developing countries related to NAMAs....

One of the ways in which terrorist organisations raise and transfer funds, is by using non-profit organisations (NPOs). Ever since the adoption of the Special Recommendation VIII on the abuse of NPOs for Terrorism Financing purposes by the FATF in 2001, countries have struggled to find a proper way to address this potential terrorism financing risk. In many important ways however, the work of NPOs deal with the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, so it is essential that in trying to address one aspect of the terrorist threat terrorism financing- we do not inadvertently diminish...