Timor-Leste

The studies have the following objectives: a) independently evaluate the relevance and efficiency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) support in a country from... Show More + several points of view: national environmental frameworks and decision-making processes; the GEF mandate and the achievement of global environmental benefits; and GEF policies and procedures; b) assess the effectiveness and results of completed projects aggregated at the focal area; and c) provide feedback and knowledge sharing to (1) the GEF Council in its decision making process to allocate resources and to develop policies and strategies; (2) the country on its participation in, or collaboration with the GEF; and (3) the different agencies and organizations involved in the preparation and implementation of GEF funded projects and activities. The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Country Portfolio Study (CPS) covered GEF-financed interventions, including national projects and Timor-Leste elements of regional projects. The Timor-Leste GEF portfolio is relatively young as the country gained independence in 2002; hence the principal focus was on the completed Enabling Activities (EAs) and project under implementation or development assessed in terms of their relevance. So far Timor-Leste national GEF projects have been exclusively implemented by United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as have several of the regional projects in which the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) is a partner. Hence the focus was on UNDP. Timor-Leste is a young country, having attained independence in 2002 after more than 400 years of Portuguese colonialism and Indonesian occupation. In the countries first decade the emphasis, with some justification, have been security, peace building, establishing basic infrastructure, service provision, agricultural development and food security. Environmental issues were not initially a high priority for government however some issues such as climate change adaptation and land degradation have started to gain in prominence over the past five years as these impact local livelihoods and national development plans, and investments. Show Less -

Timor-Leste needs private sector agribusiness investment. Productivity levels in Timor-Leste are low by world standards and there is room for the private sector to ... Show More + play an important role in introducing new technologies, providing access to markets, and investing capital in the intensification of production. These guidelines outline a number of central principles for the consideration of agribusiness investors involved in primary industry engagement in rural Timor-Leste. The principles are based on an analysis of rural development and agricultural performance in Timor-Leste drawn from several engagements between investors and community members over the last decade since the country gained its independence. This document is divided into two sections. The first provides guidelines intended to assist those investing in agribusiness in Timor-Leste or considering such an investment. The second section presents additional background information on rural development in Timor-Leste and the private sector. Show Less -

What happens when the state's vision and expanding reach bring it into contact with traditional value systems and governance structures? In what circumstances can t... Show More + he distribution of resources in a fragile society prevent-or exacerbate-conflict within and between communities? How do state expansion and public spending impact upon societal expectations of the state and state legitimacy? This report examines these questions through the lens of access, claiming, and decision making in government-sponsored community development programs. The findings illustrate the hurdles faced by government and development actors operating in pluralistic societies, and provide input on how local governance and decision making might be incorporated to enrich programming. This report aims to provide the government of Timor-Leste, particularly those responsible for decentralization, community development, and local governance planning, with information to inform their determination of an appropriate mix of models for local development. The relative priority the government will ultimately give to these different models, partly a trade-off between speed and depth, will impact on the way in which development and local governance are understood and taken on board by rural communities. This report finds that the achievement of the dual goals of state legitimacy and sustainable, effective local development hinges in large part on the willingness of state officials (and the donors that support them) to engage productively with communities and locally legitimate customary systems of authority. Show Less -

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has shown a high degree of resilience during this global crisis, compared to its own past and to other (financially glo... Show More + balized) emerging regions. To be sure, LAC's average growth rate fell steeply, by about 6.7 percentage points from 2007 to 2009. But this was a decline in growth comparable to that in the East Asian Tigers and much smaller than the growth collapse of 13 percentage points experienced by Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the region began to recover alongside middle income countries and ahead of the rich nations, and is having recovery that, again, compares well with that of the East Asian Tigers. Both regions are expected to basically recover by 2011 the level of economic activity that would have been reached if the crisis had not happen. Brazil is clearly ahead of the pack within the LAC region. The report is structured as follows. First, it evaluates the relative performance of LAC countries during the contractionary (peak-to-trough) period generated by the recent global crisis, to shed light on LAC's ability to shield its economies or soften the blow of a large external shock. Second, a similar exercise is conducted for the recovery phase of the cycle, when in the aftermath of an external shock more resilient countries would be expected to have a faster and more robust recovery. Third, it takes a deeper look at the different driving forces behind the recovery, including the role of domestic demand, commodity prices, and the connection to emerging Asia. Fourth, it provides evidence of the ability of different countries in LAC to conduct counter-cyclical policies in response to the global financial crisis. Lastly, a concluding section warns about the main macro-financial tensions and challenges lying ahead for the region. Show Less -

This report examines the status of reading acquisition in Timor-Leste's primary schools. It is written for education stakeholders and policy makers in Timor-Leste, ... Show More + including government officials, politicians, educators, parents, Timor-Leste's donor partners and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) active in the country. Because the report is aimed at those who are already familiar with the education system in Timor-Leste, it will not attempt to describe the education system, its history, or the issues, with one important exception, that policy makers and stakeholders are currently confronting. One issue in Timor-Leste, however, merits special mention in the context of this analysis. Approximately 30 percent of primary school age children in Timor-Leste are not enrolled in primary school because they never started school or have dropped out. This study assesses the reading ability only of those children who are in school. The findings show significant problems with reading acquisition for children in school. If those children who are not in school had been included in the sample, the results will be lower than those currently presented. In Timor-Leste, improving reading acquisition in the early grades is expected to lead to better learning outcomes, as well as to better access, reduced repetition and fewer drop outs. Show Less -

The Country Environmental Analysis (CEA) for Timor-Leste identifies environmental priorities through a systematic review of environmental issues in natural resource... Show More + s management and environmental health in the context of the country's economic development and environmental institutions. Lack of data has been the main limitation in presenting a more rigorous analysis. Nevertheless, the report builds on the best available secondary data, presents new data on the country's wealth composition, and derives new results on the costs of water and air pollution. The CEA calls for urgent attention to gaps in the environmental management framework, the lack of capacity to implement the few regulations in place, and the high cost of indoor air pollution and poor water, sanitation, and hygiene. Timor-Leste is a young country that regained independence in 2002, and it has emerged from a bitter past burdened by colonialism and violent conflicts. It is still a fragile state facing enormous challenges. The report also points out the lack of clean water, appropriate sanitation, and hygiene as an environmental priority. The CEA estimates that this imposes an economic cost of about $17 million per year by way of illness and premature death. The CEA also looks at outdoor air pollution and at natural resource management for land, forestry, and coastal and marine resources. Outdoor air pollution is not a serious problem for the time being, but it could become so in the long run if the economy grows rapidly, urbanization continues, heavy industry emerges, and motorization increases rapidly. This underlines the need for good forward territorial and development planning. In conclusion, much good work has already been done to enhance the quality of the environment in Timor-Leste. Efforts are under way to improve the data base for environmental management. Show Less -

The East Asia and the Pacific justice for the poor (EAP-J4P) program is collaboration between the World Bank and AusAID which supports intensive analytical and prog... Show More + rammatic work in countries where legal pluralism presents a central challenge to equitable development. A crucial premise of the program is the appreciation that issues of law and justice cut across all sections of political and economic life, and that an engagement with the dynamics of existing rule systems and the relationships of power that underpin them is a prerequisite to equitable development. This program framework document (PFD) lays out a rationale and overview of J4P programming in Timor-Leste. The program design was derived from an analysis of the country context, government and the World Bank priorities, and is based on a strategy of close collaboration with existing and planned the World Bank programs. Further structure will be provided through a series of concept notes for key initiatives which will be produced as the program develops during the period 2009-2012. Show Less -

Doing Business 2010 is the seventh in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Busines... Show More + s presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time. This paper presents the summary Doing Business indicators for Timor-Leste. The paper includes the following headings: introduction and aggregate rankings, starting a business, dealing with construction permits, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, closing a business, and Doing Business 2010 reform. Show Less -

The aim of this study is to convince national and multilateral policy makers of the importance of the public sphere concept for democratic governance and strategic ... Show More + post-conflict assistance planning with the objective of positive and sustainable change in current post-conflict assistance policy and practice. The study introduces the conceptual thinking underlying the public sphere framework and, citing evidence from different countries, highlights its relevance and calls for its application in post-conflict environments. For practitioners the study provides a public sphere assessment toolkit and a toolbox for interventions. It also offers concrete examples and recommendations on how to address the specific governance challenges identified through a public sphere analysis in three countries: Timor-Leste, Liberia and Burundi. Show Less -

This paper and its attachments concentrate on how the Government of Timor-Leste is attempting to resolve its political and security crisis. Achieving stability, how... Show More + ever, also means reviving the stagnant economy and tackling the country's alarming social problems. The paper stresses that the economy will not revive without better security and the restoration of people's faith in their leaders. This means radical reform of the police and the army. It means halting community violence. It means delivering proper justice, and holding to account those who broke the law in 2006. Provided the Government tackles the security situation decisively, economic progress is definitely feasible. Turning possibility into reality, however, will take leadership and great focus. In this Brief the authors suggest six priority economic areas, progress in which can lead the transformation of Timor-Leste's underperforming economy: 1) Transparent Management of the Country's Petroleum Revenues; 2) Budget Execution; 3) Addressing the Youth Crisis; 4) Creating an Environment for Private Investment; 5) Improving Service Delivery; and 6) Protecting the Most Vulnerable. Show Less -