Illicit trade in tobacco products undermines global tobacco prevention and control interventions, particularly with respect to tobacco tax policy. From a public health perspective, illicit trade…

Graphic: World Bank Can developing countries create strong Public Financial Management (PFM) systems, without a way to measure progress and make corrections? This would be like a ship sailing…

Governments spend a lot of money to contain violence. [[tweetable]]In 2015, some $1.7 trillion was spent on defense by governments worldwide[[/tweetable]] . While the primary responsibility for…

Video still of a mine in southern Africa by Clifford Derrick

Industrial area in the city of Kitwe, Zambia - located in the copper belt. Photo: Arne Hoel What would you expect in a mineral rich developing country? High Government revenues from the mineral…

Photo credit: Graham Crouch/World Bank In my blog “The Governance Gap – can we bridge it?”, I stressed that strengthened institutions and improved governance are especially critical for the world’…

Dr. Flora Lubowa is a medical officer at the Magomeni Health Center. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Photo Arne Hoel I have worked on public procurement and governance for most of my life. But I have…

In today’s world, international aid is fickle, financial flows unstable, and many donor countries are facing domestic economic crises themselves, driving them to apply resources inward. In this…

 Photo: Curt Carnemark / World Bank Crises in access to water are making headlines around the world. Among difficult policy pathways to respond, convincing people to change their behavior and…

Public procurement is a linchpin for good governance and effective public service delivery, both of which are critical to the sustainable development of Africa. In many countries throughout the…