DOCSLIB.ORG

World Bank Document

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
World Bank Document RESTRICTED UJ copy Report No. AW-3a This report was prepared for use within the Bank and its affiliated organizations. Public Disclosure Authorized They do not accept responsibility for its accuracy or completeness. The report may not be published nor may it be quoted as representing their views. INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION Public Disclosure Authorized THE CURRENT ECONOMIC POSITION AND PROSPECTS OF SIERRA LEONE Public Disclosure Authorized February 28, 1969 Public Disclosure Authorized Western Africa Department CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS 1 Leone US $ 1. 20 1 dollar = LE 0. 833 THE CURRENT ECONOVC POSITION AND PROSPECTS OF SIERRA LEONE TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. BASIC DATA SUMMKARY AND CONCLUSIONS - iii I. The Economy of Sierra Leone 1 A. Introduction 1 B. Structure of the Economy 2 C. Agriculture 4 D. Hining 6 E. Manufacturing 7 II. Recent Performance in the Monetary Sectors 9 A. Growth and Investment 9 B. Balance of Payments 11 C. Public Sector Finance 13 Central Government 13 Public Corporations 15 D. Money Supply and Domestic Credit 16 E. The 1967/68 Stabilization Effort 17 III. Economic Prospects 21 A. The Future Direction of Sierra Leone's Development Effort 21 B. A Projection of Central Government Development Expenditure 25 C. Financing Requirements 29 D. Organizing for Development 32 E. Exports and Balance of Payments 33 STATISTICAL APPENDIX ANTL: Some Notes on Sierra Leone's Experience with iedium-Term Suppliers' and Contractorst Credits HAP This report is based on the findings of a mission, consisting of Eessrs. Loreto Dominguez and Werner Hammel, which visited Sierra Leone in May and June, 1968. BASIC DATA AREA 27,925 square miles POPULATION Total (1968) 2.5 million Rate of Growth 1.5% per annum CUNSU1ER PRICE INDEX (1961-100) 1966 1967 March 1968 Freetown 121.1 127.7 129.1 GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT at factor cost (1965/66) Le 231.8 million (US $ 278.2 million) per capita (1965/66) US$124 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT at current market prices (1965/66) Le 260.8 million 6 Annual average real growth rate (1963/64-1965/66) 5. oper historic long term trend (estimated) 3.0-4.0% Distribution by sector (% - 1965/66) Agriculture 31.3 Mining 19.2 Manufacturing 6.3 Construction 3.6 Transport and conmunication 7.7 Public Administration and defense 5.2 Other sectors 26.7 INVESTMENT AND SAVING (f% of GDP at current market prices - 1965/66) Gross domestic investment 15.3 Gross domestic savings 11.4 Domestic resource gap 3.9 Net factor payments -3.3 Current account balance 7.2 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS (UJS$ million) 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 Exports (f.o.b.) 69.5 81.6 75.8 70.9 60.7 Imports (c.i.f.) 71.6 85.2 92.4 86.0 78.0 Services (net) -12.8 -15.3 -13.1 -8.3 n.a. Transfer payments (net) .2 .1 .4 5.2 n.a. Curent account -1..7 -19.0 -29.3 -18.2 n.a. Capital account 11.9 18.5 20.0 15.1 Change of reserves -2.8 -. 5 -9.3 -3.1 -2.4 Projected annual export growth rate (1968-1973): 3% Commodity concentration of exports (diamonds) (1963-1967 average): 63% Net foreign exchange reserves (March 1968): $11.4 million EXTERNAL PUBLIC DEBT As of June 30, 1968 US$59.0 million Debt service ratio (goods and services - 1967) 11.6% CENTRAL GOVERNMENT FINANCES (Le million) Compound annual 1961/62 1968/69 growth rate budget Current revenue 27.1 1.7 6.4 Current expenditure 24.8 32.3 4.5 Central Government savings 2.3 9.4 22.0 Debt service 2.0 8.5 23.0 Capital expenditure 7.6 10.5 14.7 Capital receipts 5.4 8.6 6.9 Overall deficit 1.9 1.0 - SUMIARY AND CONCLUSIONS 1. Growth of the Sierra Leonean economy in the last decade was brought about by an expanding mining sector dominated by foreign enterprises. Diamonds alone account for 60% of exports; a diamond boom, which reached its peak in 1964, caused exports to expand by an average annual rate of 11% since 1950. However, income generated by mining exports has only modestly stimu- lated agriculture and manufacturing; instead, it induced imports and other remittances abroad. Sierra Leone thus has a divided economy with an enclave mining sector and a large and underdeveloped agricultural sector which occu- pies 80%1 of the population. The tens of thousands of individual diamond diggers in the country's interior are an exception, but despite their acti- vities and modest agricultural exports, the monetized sector of the economy is comparatively small. An average per capita income of $115 for Sierra Leone's 2.4 million people, though comparatively high by African standards, is thus a misleading indicator of the actual standard of living of most of the population. 2. In the past, the Sierra Leone Government has emphasized invest- ments in infrastructure. Agricultural development was left largely to the Produce Marketing Board. Since the Board's plantation program failed, the agricultural sector has not benefited appreciably from past development efforts. Nevertheless, Sierra Leone has ccnsiderable unused agricultural potential. Her numerous inland swamps and river estuaries offer opportunities for increased rice production. Sierra Leone is not self-sufficient in rice, her major staple food, and, with West Africa as a whole depending on rice imports, there may be possibilities for exports to neighboring countries once a surplus is achieved. Also, there are potentials for tree crops such as oil palm and cocoa. Fish and livestock development are still at rudimen- tary levels. 3. Agricultural development poses problems of organization and management, as well as of finance. This applies both to large-scale plan- tation development and to improving the productivity of the individual farmer. The effort cannot, therefore, be measured only in terms of funds earmarked for the sector. Building up an extension service or an equivalent organization, and encouraging cooperatives and agricultural credit involves institution building which is not necessarily costly. Sierra Leone has as yet only limited managerial and administrative resources. This applies not only to the private sector where expatriate entrepreneurs are very much in evidence in commerce and manufacturing in addition to mining, but also applies to the public sector where staff limitations have adversely affected the quality of public investment. Institution building will have to be part of Sierra Leone's future development effort if the investment pattern is to be governed more by economic priorities and less by the uneven capacities of various public sector bodies. h. Since independence in 1961, the Government has made a remarkable effort to mobilize public savings. Current budget receipts increased by an average annual rate of 7% while expansion of current expenditures was held to 5%, which is commendable for a newly independent country assuming new functions and responsibilities. However, resulting public savings were in- sufficient to finance public investment, and the Government resorted to - ii - domestic bank borrowing and medium-term suppliers' and contractors' credits, resulting in a mounting debt service which has fully absorbed public savings since 1963/64. Efforts to prepare projects and sound investment programs in general were neglected, limiting the opportunities for external long-term borrowing. Credit expansion spilled over into imports, resulting in a con- tinuous loss of foreign exchange reserves. By mid-1966, net foreign assets had dropped to a level of Le 12.8 million ($15.4 million or 2 months' imports) capared with Le 25.4 million by the end of 1961. Thus, because of inadequate and inappropriate means of financing, the Government's efforts to develop the economy outside the mining sector jeopardized an open economy and risked the imposition of foreign exchange restrictions which, however, would be diffi- cult to enforce in a diamond-producing country. 5. Unsatisfactory financing of Government investment was exacerbated by deteriorating finances of public corporations. The country's railway, constructed between 1895 and 1916, has been losing traffic to more economical and flexible road transport, and its large deficits have increasingly burdened the budget. The Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board, originally established as a marketing organization for export crops, expanded its activities into plantation development after independence. Due to inadequate planning and management, these plantations developed formidable losses. It is estimated that the Board expended about Le 10.5 million between 1964 and 1967 for non- marketing purposes. Thus it not only exhausted its accumulated price stabili- zation fund and current marketing surpluses, but also a Government loan of Le 1 million. Substantial borrowing from a commercial bank was required in 1966/67 to keep the Board afloat. Eventually, marketing of produce began to suffer, which contributed to a drop in agricultural exports in 1967. 6. Deteriorating finances of public corporations, and finally the 1966/67 budget, which showed a further steep increase in development expen- diture and an uncovered overall deficit of Le 19.3 million, forced the Govern- ment to review its finances. Foreign exchange reserves had reached a low level and in September 1966, the Government approached the IMF for assistance. The subsequent standby arrangement was accompanied by a stabilization program, which inevitably stressed improvements in public sector finances. However, because of elections in March 1967, budget cuts and changes in public corpora- tions were slow to be implemented. The fiscal year 1966/67 ended with a record deficit, although less than originally budgeted, and only the use of counterpart funds from the INF drawing prevented a further upsurge of bank borrowing. However, public finances improved markedly under the military and police regime which ruled Sierra Leone from March 1967 to April 1968.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sierra Leone
    Report of the Implementation of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Programme of Action 2011-2020 Sierra Leone I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 2 II. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 3 III. THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS ................................... 3 IV. ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ISTANBUL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE DECADE 2011-2020 ............................................................................................................ 5 V. COHERENCE AND LINKAGES WITH THE 2030 AGENDA AND OTHER GLOBAL PROCESSES ..................................................................................................... 19 VI. TOWARDS THE NEXT LDC AGENDA .................................................................. 20 VII. STATISTICAL ANNEX .................................................................................................... 22 1 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Republic of Sierra Leone comprises five regions – North, North West, East, South and Western Regions consisting of sixteen administrative districts, namely: Bo, Bombali, Bonthe, Falaba, Kailahun, Kambia, Karene, Kenema, Koinadugu, Kono, Moyamba, Port Loko, Pujehun, Tonkolili, Western Rural and Western Urban. Sierra Leone is bordered by Guinea to the north and northeast, Liberia to the south and southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
    [Show full text]
  • Governance and Political Economy Constraints to World Bank CAS Priorities in Sierra Leone
    Governance and Political Economy Constraints to World Bank CAS Priorities in Sierra Leone James A. Robinsony October 2008 I am greatly indebted to Mohamed Gibril Sesay without whose assistance and wisdom I would never have been able to undertake this research. Most of the ideas I discuss here formed during discussions with him. I am also particularly indebted to Ishac Diwan who suggested and facilitated this research and most important challenged me to make it ambitious. I would also like to thank Doug Addison, Juan Costain, Engilbert Gud- mundsson, and Nicola Smithers for their suggestions and all of the people who gave so generously of their time in Freetown, Bo and Koidu. The views expressed in this paper are my own and not those of the World Bank Group. yHarvard University, Department of Government, IQSS, 1737 Cambridge Street N309, Cambridge, MA 01238; e-mail: [email protected]. Abstract In this paper I discuss the political economy of Sierra Leone and how it should in‡uence the World Bank’sCountry Assistance Strategy (CAS). The main focus of the research is to try to understand the extent to which the perverse political incentives which drove the country into poverty and civil war between 1961 and 1991 have re-asserted themselves since the return of peace in 2002. This question is made particularly compelling by the return to power in 2007 of the All People’sCongress Party, who presided over the decline of the country. My preliminary conclusion is that while there are some obvious changes in the political environment, appeal remains in the political strategies which were so costly to the nation and some new forces which have emerged have potentially perverse consequences.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on the Status of Youth in Sierra Leone
    SIERRA LEONE STATUS OF THE YOUTH REPORT 2012 Table of Contents Table of Contents. .............................................................................................................................. i List of Acronyms. .............................................................................................................................. iii Definitions of Terminologies. ............................................................................................................ v Foreword .......................................................................................................................................... vi Preface. ............................................................................................................................................ vii Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. xviii List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................xix List of Boxes ...................................................................................................................................... xx 1. OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION
    [Show full text]
  • Economic Growth, Institutions, and the Natural Resource Curse in Sierra Leone: an Empirical Investigation
    International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 7, No. 5; May 2016 Economic Growth, Institutions, and the Natural Resource Curse in Sierra Leone: an Empirical Investigation Chernor Momodu Bah China University of Geosciences Master's Degree Student Lumo Street – Wuchang 430074 - Wuhan – Hubei PR – China Abstract This paper empirically investigates the existence of the resource curse in Sierra Leone through looking at the relationship between economic growth and resource dependence. The study adopted a Barrow-type growth model to analyze the effect of natural resource dependence on economic growth. A time series approximation technique was employed using relevant data from Sierra Leone from 1975-2014. The results from the time series regressions found a positive relationship between the rate of economic growth and natural resource dependence. This means that, the findings of this paper rejected the resource curse hypothesis in the Sierra Leone context relative to the data and method (time series analysis) employed. The findings suggests that a 1% increase in total natural resources rents (% of GDP), as a proxy of resource dependence, improves the economic growth of the country by approximately 9% in the long run. To this end, the government should endeavor to improve the means and methods of collecting natural resources rents to boost the economy of the country, hence economic development and the standard of living of the people in the country. Keywords: Economic Growth, Institutions, Natural Resources, Resource Curse 1.1 Introduction For the past several years, the relationship between economic growth and natural resources abundance has been a subject of debate and a renewed interest in this subject emerged in the 1990s.
    [Show full text]
  • Promoting High-Level Sustainable Growth to Reduce Unemployment in Africa List Price: USD $ 40.00 List Price: ISBN: 978-92-1-125113-5 African Union
    Economic Report on Africa 2010 Economic Commission for Africa African Union Due to the global financial crisis, the world economy contracted by 2.2 per cent in 2009, but there are signs that it has begun to stabilize. GDP growth in Africa declined from 4.5 per cent in 2008 to 1.6 per cent in 2009 and is expected to rise to 4.3 per cent in 2010. Despite the decrease in world commodity prices, primary commodity exports remain the major driver of growth in Africa. The global economic downturn exacerbated the already high unemployment rates and reduce sustainable unemployment high-level growth to in Africa Promoting vulnerable employment in Africa. Unemployment rates remained high and increasing especially among vulnerable groups in Africa even during the last decade of relatively high growth, making it difficult for the continent to reduce poverty. Africa’s high and growing unemployment rates stem from both supply and demand sources, including rapidly growing labour supply owing to high population growth rates, increased Economic Report on labour participation and slow growth in labour demand as economic growth has been both insufficient and dependent on capital-intensive enclave sectors with low employment elasticity Africa 2010 In the aftermath of the crisis, African countries should pursue policies that counter the effects of the recession and at the same time lay the foundation for long-term, high-level, Promoting high-level sustainable growth sustainable and employment-focused growth. Besides a comprehensive development to reduce unemployment in Africa planning framework that embodies well-designed and implemented macroeconomic and sectoral strategies, this requires appropriate investment in infrastructure, human capital, improved domestic resource mobilization, factor market reforms, incentives to support private sector employment, and efforts to increase productivity.
    [Show full text]
  • Sierra Leone, the Constraints Analysis Would Be Concerned with What Is Preventing the Country from Achieving Broad-Based Economic Growth
    The production of the constraints analyses posted on this website was led by the partner governments, and was used in the development of a Millennium Challenge Compact or threshold program. Although the preparation of the constraints analysis is a collaborative process, posting of the constraints analyses on this website does not constitute an endorsement by MCC of the content presented therein. 2014-001-1569-02 Republic of Sierra Leone SIERRA LEONE CONSTRAINTS ANALYSIS REPORT: A Diagnostic Study of the Sierra Leone Economy; Identifying Binding Constraints to Private Investments and Broad-based Growth FINAL REPORT An Analysis Prepared by the Government of Sierra Leone with Technical Assistance from the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the United States of America, for the Development of a Millennium Challenge Compact DECEMBER 2013 i Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES 8 LIST OF FIGURES 10 1 INTRODUCTION 22 2 ECONOMIC GROWTH: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND OVERVIEW 24 2.1 Summary Poverty Profile 26 2.2 GDP Growth Performance 27 2.3 Agricultural Sector Analysis 29 2.3.1 Contribution to GDP 29 2.3.2 Rice Production 30 2.3.3 Comparative Country Analysis 31 2.4 Export and Trade Performance 32 2.4.1 Trade Balance 32 2.4.2 Export Performance (2001‐2011) 33 2.4.3 Composition of Exports 34 2.4.4 Comparative Analysis 35 2.5 Industrial Sector 35 2.5.1 Comparative Country Analysis 37 2.6 Service Sector 37 2.6.1 Tourism 38 2.6.2 Finance, Insurance and Real Estate 39 2.6.3 Comparative Analysis 39 2.7 Trends in Real GDP per Capita 39 2.7.1 Conclusion 40
    [Show full text]
  • IDL-8432.Pdf
    IDRC-MR192e ENERGY DECISIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN AFRICA A Case Study of Sierra Leone Ogunlade R. Davidson Director, University Research and Development Services Bureau, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone Material contained in this report is produced as submitted and has not been subjected to peer review or rigorous editing by IORC Communications Division staff. Unless otherwise stated, copyright for material in this report is held by the author. Mention of proprietary names does not constitute endorsement of the product and is given only for information. DECLARATION This report is prepared under contract with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada and should not be quoted or duplicated with the permission of the Centre. The views expressed in the report are those of the author and not of IDRC. Ogunlade R. Davidson July 1986 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was commissioned by the Energy, Science and Technology Policy Studies Unit of the Social Sciences Division of IDRC. The consultant is greatly appreciative of the opportunity given to him to carry out this study and to continue to serve IDRC. He wishes to extend his gratitude to several people who have contributed to this project. Firstly to the staff of the University Research and Services Bureau who has helped in information gathering and typing the draft of this report especially Mr. Adeshino Taylor, Miss Eleanor Hanciles, Mrs. Sarian Aiydeke and Miss M. Neville for the computational work. Lastly I must express my thanks to all the respondents that helped in making our information searching exercise possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the Economy of Sierra Leone
    Country Study number 18 September, 2009 THE IMPACT OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS ON THE ECONOMY OF SIERRA LEONE A REPORT FOR UNDP FREETOWN AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE John Weeks School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London International Centre for Inclusive Growth Copyright© 2009 International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth United Nations Development Programme International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco O, 7º andar 70052-900 Brasilia, DF - Brazil Telephone: +55 61 2105 5000 E-mail: [email protected] URL: www.ipc-undp.org The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth is jointly supported by the Poverty Practice, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP and the Government of Brazil. Rights and Permissions All rights reserved. The text and data in this publication may be reproduced as long as the source is cited. Reproductions for commercial purposes are forbidden. The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth disseminates these Country Studies to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. These studies are signed by the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions that they express are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the United Nations Development Programme or the Government of Brazil. Country Studies are available online at www.ipc-undp.org and subscriptions can be requested by email to [email protected] THE IMPACT OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS ON THE ECONOMY OF SIERRA LEONE A REPORT FOR UNDP FREETOWN AND THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE John Weeks* EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GLOBAL CRISIS AND POVERTY PREVENTION Most recent statistics indicate that the global financial crisis will cause a fall in export earnings in Sierra Leone of approximately fifteen percent in 2009 compared to 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Full Text
    International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research ISSN: 2455-8834 Volume:06, Issue:02 "February 2021" THE IMPACT OF EXCHANGE RATE FLUCTUATIONS AND MONEY SUPPLY ON INFLATION IN SIERRA LEONE (1986-2019) Mohamed Ibrahim Justice Ganawah Lecturer at the Department of Economics and Commerce Fourah bay College, University of Sierra Leone DOI: 10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i02.004 URL: https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i02.004 ABSTRACT This paper aims at providing quantitative analysis of the impact of money Supply and exchange rate fluctuations on inflation in Sierra Leone. The paper utilizes secondary data that were obtained from the International Financial Statistics (IFS), of all variables investigated in the model. The sample covers quarterly data from 1986:01 to 2019:04. The model was estimated using Vector Error Correction Mechanism (VECM). The empirical results confirm that in the long run, money supply and exchange rate have significant inverse effects on inflationary pressure, while real output growth and foreign price changes have direct effects on inflationary pressure. The possible justification for the inverse effect of money supply on price level is that inflation may not be due to aggregate demand pressure but rather due to hiccups in the supply chain of goods both from the domestic and foreign supply outlets. Empirical deductions also signify the presence of significant feedback from the long run to short run disequilibrium. However, there exists a causal linkage between inflation, money supply and exchange rate in Sierra Leone. Keyword: Money supply, Exchange rate, Inflation, Real output 1. INTRODUCTION The economy of Sierra Leone economy, like most developing economies, started experiencing economic problems in the 1970s.
    [Show full text]
  • 1. the Effects of Real Exchange Rate on the Economic Growth in Sierra
    THE EFFECTS OF REAL EXCHANGE RATE ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SIERRA LEONE (1980 – 2015) LEROY N. JOHNSON1 ABSTRACT The study investigates the nexus concerning real exchange rate and economic growth in Sierra Leone with coverage 1980-2015. Johansen Cointegration Approach was employed to gauge the short run and long equilibrium relationship existing among the variables of interest. Empirical results indicate significant long run relationship exists between exchange rate and economic growth. Furthermore, exchange rate has positive impact on economic growth in the short run while a negative impact in the long run. The emphasis is therefore on the fact that moderate exchange rate depreciation in the long run spurs economic growth. To ensure sustained economic growth, policies that curtail inflationary pressures, direct Government expenditures to productive areas of the economy, revamp domestic industries and ensure relative exchange stability should be pursued by monetary and fiscal authorities. 1 Contact: [email protected] Revista del Ciclo Económico ©. Todos los derechos reservados. [Trans. The Journal of Business Cycles ©. All Rights Reserved.]. Buenos Aires Argentina Vol I. No.1. 2020 1 CHAPTER ONE 1.1 Background In economic and financial spheres, exchange rate is considered an essential variable for charting the growth of a country’s economy. Nominal Exchange rate expresses one currency’s price with respect to the price of another currency. Alternatively, exchange rate expresses foreign currency’s price in terms of the domestic currency. However, real exchange rate shows the degree of competitiveness of a country’s economy to international trade. It is the price of tradables compared to nontradables.
    [Show full text]
  • Review of Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance on Competition Law and Policy
    UNITED NATIONS TD United Nations Distr. Conference GENERAL on Trade and TD/RBP/CONF.6/6 Development 5 September 2005 Original: ENGLISH/FRENCH/ SPANISH FIFTH UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE TO REVIEW ALL ASPECTS OF THE SET OF MULTILATERALLY AGREED EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES AND RULES FOR THE CONTROL OF RESTRICTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES Antayla, 14-18 November 2005 Item 6 (a) of the provisional agenda REVIEW OF CAPACITY-BUILDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY Note by the UNCTAD secretariat Executive summary UNCTAD provides capacity-building and technical assistance on competition law and policy to developing and least developed countries as well as countries in transition in accordance with requests received, the needs of the countries concerned and resources available. This includes both national and regional assistance in drafting competition laws and policy guidelines as well as capacity-building in the implementation of competition policy with a long-term perspective in line with the United Nations Set of Multilaterally Agreed Equitable Principles and Rules for the Control of Restrictive Business Practices and the requests made by the Fourth United Nations Conference to Review All Aspects of the Set. Accordingly, this document contains a progress report on the capacity-building and technical cooperation activities of the UNCTAD secretariat, which are described under three main subheadings, namely national activities, regional and subregional activities, and participation in seminars and conferences. In addition, it contains extracts from replies of member States and international organizations to the note by the Officer-in-Charge of UNCTAD requesting information on technical cooperation activities in the field of competition law and policy.
    [Show full text]
  • [ 1984 ] Part 1 Sec 2 Chapter 3 Economic Assistance, Disasters
    Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief 463 Chapter III Economic assistance, disasters and emergency relief Through a number of organizations, the United and Principe (39/187), Sierra Leone (39/192), Uganda Nations continued in 1984 to provide special as­ (39/188) and Vanuatu (39/198). sistance to countries with serious economic difficulties. The United Nations system continued to respond Those problems were frequently aggravated by natural to emergency situations arising from natural dis­ or other disasters. Of particular concern was the asters, mainly through action co-ordinated by the critical economic situation in Africa which was com­ Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co­ pounded by a prolonged drought in certain regions. ordinator (UNDRO). The Assembly (in resolutions Both the Economic and Social Council and the General 39/190, 39/191, 39/194, 39/201, 39/205 and 39/206) Assembly added an item to their agenda for the and the Council (in resolutions 1984/3, 1984/5, 1984/6 first time on that situation. In a December resolu­ and 1984/7 and decision 1984/106) dealt with as­ tion (39/29), the Assembly adopted the Declara­ sistance needs resulting from die continuing drought tion on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa, in certain areas in Africa, particularly the Sudano- expressing concern at the crisis which over the previous Sahelian region and East Africa; cyclones and floods few years had assumed alarming proportions, seriously in Madagascar; a cyclone in Swaziland; and an earth­ jeopardizing not only the development process, but quake in "Yemen. Both the Assembly and the Council, also the very survival of millions of people.
    [Show full text]