Country: Global
Themes: Strengthening the Business Enabling Environment, Expanding Access to Competitive Contestable Markets, Promoting technology adoption to raise productivity
Cross Cutting Themes: Climate, Digital, Gender
Anticipated Impact Areas: Quality Jobs, Private Investment
The Challenge
In January 2024, the Business of the State (BOS) Interactive Dashboard was launched, providing World Bank teams with cross-country evidence on the presence of Businesses of the State in the economy and regulations that tilt markets in their favor. CJET’s support has been instrumental in supporting the development of key knowledge products and engagement tools related to the state footprint in markets.
Mission
The evidence on BOS has informed recent country analytics, policy dialogue and lending in Morocco, Egypt, The Gambia, Moldova, Cabo Verde, Kenya, Rwanda and India. For example, as part of the SOE PforR in Morocco, the Bank supports the Government in the implementation of governance and competitive neutrality reforms including the corporatization of SOEs, portfolio rationalization, and better management of public service obligations. In Egypt, preparations of a similar operation are underway. Prior actions supported by lending in The Gambia include improved performance monitoring, the separation of commercial and non-commercial activities, and strengthened reporting of SOE debt and contingent liabilities. In Cabo Verde, the BOS resources informed the Country Private Sector Diagnostic unveiling the dominant role of SOEs in key enabling sectors for the private sector and opportunities to crowd in private investment in transportation, energy, and tourism. The BOS dashboard has more than 500 active users. The BOS resources have been also disseminated through knowledge-sharing events and in April 2024 they have been presented to European Commission officials. The work builds on the Business of the State flagship report launched at the Annual Meetings in Marrakech and the BOS PSD Toolkit released in FY24.
