Belize, Right Choices Bright Future : Systematic Country Diagnostic

Carneiro, Francisco

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: LIVING STANDARDS;    FORECASTS;    MONETARY POLICY;    RISKS;    REGULATORY FRAMEWORK;   

RP-ID  :  103941

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This systematic country diagnostic (SCD)discusses on Belize’s ability to promote faster povertyreduction and greater shared prosperity which will depend onhow well the country deals with its main sources ofvulnerability. The main areas in need of a big push thatcould have the highest potential impact on the twin goalsare : (i) improving education and skills; (ii) addressingcrime and violence; and, (iii) increasing resilience toclimate change and natural disasters. Strengtheningresilience to natural disasters and climate change alongwith improvements in the existing infrastructure in Belizeare critical to support the twin goals to end extremepoverty, and promote shared prosperity in poorer segments ofsociety. Sustainable progress towards the achievement of thetwin goals of reducing poverty and boosting sharedprosperity in Belize will also require prioritizing fiscalsustainability. This SCD is structured in six chapters thatrange from a brief description of the main features ofBelize to the discussion of priorities for growth and sharedprosperity. Chapter 1 presents the country context,highlighting Belize’s main features as a small upper middleincome country that faces high volatility associated withits size and vulnerability to exogenous shocks. Chapter 2discusses trends in poverty and shared prosperity. Chapters2 through 5 discuss the main underlying factors that havebeen found to influence Belize’s growth performance as wellas its economic, social and environmental sustainability.Each of these chapters discuss in greater detail the natureof the challenges, dig deeper into exploring the likelycauses of these challenges, and identify policy areas thatcould be critical for boosting growth and inclusion andensuring sustainability. These chapters also identifyknowledge and data gaps on areas where new information couldhelp strengthen a diagnosis and inform specific actions inthe priority areas. The sixth and final chapter has threeimportant and distinctive features. First, it provides asynthesis of the analysis and findings of the previouschapters. Second, it provides a discussion of the approachused to identify the priorities for action in Belize. And,third, it concludes with a discussion of the priorities toboost shared prosperity and ensure economic, social andenvironmental sustainability in Belize.