Research for Community Access Partnership Status Review of the Updated Rural Access Index

Rural Access Index (RAI) is the percentage of rural people who live within 2 km (typically equivalent to a walk of 20 minutes) of an all-season road as a proportion of the total rural population. After a review of the RAI was undertaken in 2015-2016, a new way of tracking was proposed. Called the Spatial Rural Access Index, this new approach updates the RAI based on new spatial data and techniques, i.e., satellite imagery, while using the original definition.

Results of the Financial Reforms for Economic Development

Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s Gambhir Bhatta, Srinivasan Janardanam, and Anouj Mehta discussed the main results of and lessons from the forum organized by World Bank and the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants from 17 to 18 May 2016 in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur. They also proposed ideas on how ADB can strengthen public financial management.

2017 World Development Report: Understanding Governance Preview

Institutions matter for progress in all areas of development. Policymakers should make fuller use of behavioral, technological, and institutional instruments to improve policy effectiveness. Successful reforms are not just about “best practice” and to be effective, policies must guarantee credible commitment, support coordination, and promote cooperation.