The World Bank today launched (i) the Burkina Faso Economic Update and (ii) the Country Economic Memorandum (CEM).

The Economic Update highlights recent economic trends in the country and analyzes the short- and medium-term economic outlook. Focusing on scaling up social assistance, the April 2024 edition, “Sustaining the Momentum of Social Assistance Reform,” indicates that the economy grew modestly by 3.2% in 2023, mostly supported by the services sector, while the mining sector was hampered by the security crisis. Also, the impact of social assistance spending of about 2.6% of GDP in terms of poverty reduction is hampered by the inefficiency of the system, in particular its fragmentation. Accelerating the implementation of ongoing reforms such as the Single Social Registry and the Support Program for the Empowerment of Poor and Vulnerable Households (PAMPV) could lift the limitations of the current social assistance system.

The CEM, one of the World Bank’s major analytical documents, analyzes the country’s economic developments over the past decades and constructs long-term growth scenarios while formulating public policy recommendations to steer the economy toward more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive growth. The document launched today notes that Burkina Faso’s economic growth in recent decades has not been sufficient to ensure a strong structural transformation of its economy, nor to significantly reduce the number of people living in extreme poverty. The report suggests policy options including raising agricultural productivity, increasing the technological sophistication of firms, improving resource allocation and productivity through better transport, and achieving gender equality. It also provides detailed recommendations that can help the country break out of the fragility cycle by accelerating growth and placing the economy on the path to lower-middle-income status.

“The CEM was greatly enriched by exchanges with Burkinabe and international researchers, during a symposium organized at the Thomas Sankara University of Ouagadougou in March 2023. The synthesis report includes many policy options that Burkina Faso can use to transition to a better growth model,” suggests Daniel Pajank, World Bank Lead Economist for Burkina Faso and co-author of the report.

The Sahel Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), which was presented along with the two aforementioned reports for its focus on Burkina Faso, analyzes the constraints imposed by climate change on the long-term development of the region and aims to identify key policies and measures to address them, in light of the national development and climate priorities of the Sahel countries. It is one of six core diagnostic studies undertaken by the World Bank in all countries in which it operates to inform its operations. It also supports the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) – climate action plan – by prioritizing key policies and measures to increase resilience and reduce emissions in light of Burkina Faso’s development and climate priorities.

According to Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil, World Bank Country Manager for Burkina Faso, “The World Bank is also a knowledge bank in addition to the financing it provides. The reports launched today are decision-making tools and should help further drive innovation and beyond public policies for greater impact on populations, especially the most vulnerable.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Economic activity in Uganda has remained resilient despite multiple successive shocks, with real gross domestic product (GDP) accelerating from 5.3% in FY22/23 to an estimated 6% in FY23/24, a new World Bank report notes. The expansion was driven by oil-related construction activity and the growth of the mining and quarrying sector, which benefited from sustained increases in gold prices and an improved domestic environment for artisanal mining.

According to the 23rd edition of the Uganda Economic Update (UEU) released today, low inflation and recovery of real income and employment bolstered consumption, while private investment remained resilient despite unfavorable domestic and global financial conditions. As a result, exports and manufacturing orders increased between August 2023 and May 2024. Per capita income reached about $980 in FY22/23, and continued growth will push Uganda closer to the lower-middle-income threshold.

The UEU, a twice-yearly analysis of Uganda’s near-term macroeconomic outlook, projects a positive picture with GDP growing to 6.2% in FY24/25 and accelerating to more than 7% in the medium-term, due primarily to investment in the oil and gas sector.

“In addition to continued investment in the oil sector, robust coffee and gold exports are expected to boost economic activity in the coming year,” said Rachel K. Sebudde, World Bank Senior Economist and lead author of the current Uganda Economic Update. “Meanwhile, the full implementation of the Parish Development Model and other public investment programs, along with improvements in infrastructure and a growing energy supply, could further bolster aggregate demand. Over the medium-term, oil exports will transform Uganda’s trade profile, while the government’s efforts to promote tourism and agro-industrialization should help foster export diversification.”

There are, however, risks that threaten Uganda’s growth trajectory. These include the deterioration of global economic conditions due to rising geopolitical tensions that would reduce Uganda’s exports while distorting import supply chains; mounting inflationary pressures and prolonged monetary tightening that could constrain economic activity and reduce household incomes; delays in the implementation of major infrastructure projects; volatile foreign direct investment inflows; and the possibility of diminished donor financing as the 2026 election approaches.

Going forward, Uganda needs stronger expenditure rules to lessen the impact of shocks and manage the country’s transition to oil-exporter status, and also to increase social spending in areas like health to ensure equitable and sustainable growth. This UEU, which focuses on improving public spending on health to build human capital, notes that the government is spending much less on health compared to peer countries in the region. Due to underspending on education, health, and social protection, the productivity of Uganda’s next generation of workers is projected to be among the lowest worldwide. Households and external development partners finance a combined 85% of current total health spending. The share of government resources devoted to health spending has declined from 6.5% of total public spending in FY14/15 to 3.9% in FY20/21. Unless policymakers work to prioritize the health sector, Uganda is unlikely to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.

“Despite its low level of health spending per capita, Uganda utilizes its resources more efficiently than some of its peer countries,” said Mukami Kariuki, World Bank Country Manager for Uganda. “Uganda’s maternal health outcomes, for example, are better than those of most comparators. However, this is not enough. Uganda needs to combine increased health spending and efficiency gains from that expenditure to build the country’s human capital and reap a demographic dividend.”

The UEU recommends that policymakers should focus on, among others, increasing investments in primary healthcare; updating and expanding the use of performance agreements with private facilities and improving the investment climate in the health sector; the productivity of the health sector workforce; reducing the incidence of impoverishing health spending; and enhancing the quality of care and promoting client engagement in health-service design, planning, delivery, and oversight.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Soroti Regional Referral Hospital is in a state of disrepair significantly hampering its ability to provide adequate medical services.

According to Professor Mary Margaret Ajiko, a consultant surgeon at the hospital, there is need for new infrastructure and resources.

She highlighted that since the hospital was designated a regional referral facility in 1996, no new structures have been built to accommodate the growing patient load.

“We find that, for example, you go to the Outpatient Department, it is very small and meant for a population maybe of 500, but here we are seeing a population of 2.7 million. It gets so crowded and it is not easy to manage,” she explained.

Ajiko’s statement comes on the backdrop of the visit of the Committee on Government Assurance and Implementation.

The committee’s visit follows Parliament’s approval of substantial loans in 2019 and 2021 to upgrade health centres across the country including the construction and equipping of new facilities and recruitment of staff.

AUDIO Ajiko

The committee’s ongoing oversight aims to ensure the projects are implemented effectively to improve healthcare delivery.

Ajiko added that the lack of an accident and emergency unit is problematic.

“When patients are involved in accidents and they are brought in, they are taken directly to the wards. The wards are so small that patients are often on the floor,” she said.

The lack of adequate surgical facilities often means surgeons are forced to wait for hours to access space for emergency operations.

Dr Ben Watmon, the Hospital Director said that the facilities at the hospital are dilapidated beyond renovation. “Most of the facilities were constructed in the 1940s and they have outlived their usefulness but we continue to deliver service with what we have. We look forward to getting better infrastructure, he said.

The Chairperson of the committee, Hon. Abed Bwanika, acknowledged the severe challenges faced by the hospital.

” We can tell with our eyes that the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) here are doing good work. They are the ones who are working on the oxygen plant. They have so far done 90 per cent of the works and that is excellent,” Bwanika said.

However, he also stressed the urgent need for more comprehensive solutions. “Some of the facilities in the hospital are highly dilapidated. Roofs are falling off; space is not enough. We need a new hospital for this region,” he said adding that, ’they don’t have a theatre; I have looked in their theatre. It is a small room. The government must come in so fast to provide those critical areas’.

AUDIO Bwanika

Bwanika offered an assurance that they will advocate for immediate government intervention to upgrade the hospital’s facilities.

 “They have the doctors, the surgeons but they don’t have a theatre that can accommodate the surgical operations. We are going to talk to the government and see that undertaking is a priority,” he added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

With the clock ticking towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency announced a groundbreaking new initiative to help create a safer world where women and girls can live free from violence and harmful practices, to achieve their fullest potential.

The Social Innovation Toolkit, a central component of the Regional Innovation and Digital Transformation Strategy for East Africa, aims to address critical challenges such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, and empower young people through digital innovation. The initiative was unveiled at the Financing Innovation and Digital Transformation in Africa Dialogue in Sandton, Johannesburg on 20 June.

“Innovation is a key accelerator to achieving the ambitious SDG targets,” said Chinwe Ogbonna, UNFPA Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “Our Social Innovation Toolkit is designed to equip young people, especially adolescents and girls, with the resources they need to develop innovative solutions to end harmful practices.”

The toolkit, titled Addressing Harmful Practices through Social Innovation: A UNFPA Innovation Guide for ‘YOU’ and Startups, offers valuable resources for young innovators. It provides practical guidance and connects users to social enterprise growth support both within and outside Africa. This interactive, self-help toolkit fosters the development of new ideas and encourages young people to participate actively in their own development.

“Innovators in Africa face challenges such as lack of investment, limited entrepreneurship support and poor market access,” said Sydney Hushie, Regional Innovation Specialist for UNFPA East and Southern Africa. “Despite these challenges, young people are leading change in their own ways. This toolkit will support their efforts and help scale their innovative solutions.”

The launch event in Johannesburg brought together a range of key partners, including representatives from the African Development Bank, Uyoyo Edosio, Frank Asiwani of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance. The dialogue highlighted the role of innovation and digital technology in advancing sustainable development and tackling issues like FGM.

Mark Marangu, founder of Tutor Register from Kenya, emphasized the importance of sustainable financing for innovative projects. He spoke of how support from organizations like UNFPA was instrumental in developing and scaling his innovative idea into a successful product.

In a panel discussion on bridging the gap between child protection stakeholders, leveraging real-time data for child protection, and building viable business structures, the panelists discussed financing, innovation and digital transformation, and reinforced a collective commitment to driving positive change in the region.

UNFPA will continue to work with young people as active agents of change to end harmful practices across Africa. “We implore young innovators to take advantage of this toolkit and other initiatives to support this collective effort,” added Mr. Hushie.

The toolkit and the Regional Innovation and Digital Transformation Strategy are expected to positively impact several SDGs in the region.

For more information about the Social Innovation Toolkit and the Regional Innovation and Digital Transformation Strategy for Eastern Africa, visit UNFPA ESARO.

About UNFPA: The United Nations Population Fund is dedicated to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA in East and Southern Africa works to realize these goals for the region, tackling critical issues such as FGM. With more than 200 million girls and women affected globally, ending FGM by 2030 requires intensified, evidence-based efforts and innovative solutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNFPA – East and Southern Africa.