empleo

Organization: Mercy Corps
Country: Guatemala
Closing date: 11 Jun 2017

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.

Program / Department Summary

The Community Strengthening Project «CSP» is a project based on the technical experience of the members of the Consortium in violence prevention, governance, youth development, gender-based violence prevention, education and research. Its main purpose is to impact/benefit directly more than 520,000 children, young men and women in Guatemala City, Villa Nueva, Mixco, San Miguel Petapa, Villa Canales and Amatitlán.

Its strategy promotes Mercy Corps’ global leadership activities in developing resilient communities in environments susceptible to violence by looking forward to improve the capacity of individuals, families, communities and governments to work together to break the cycle of violence, poverty and Governmental weak organization through four main objectives: institutionalizing efforts on violence and crime prevention based in community (Objective 1); Strengthen the capacity of national and municipal government officials to improve citizen security (Objective 2); Improve significantly the secondary prevention services to prevent at-risk youth from joining gangs (Objective 3); And increase evidence and knowledge base on crime prevention and violence models (Objective 4).

General Position Summary

The Infrastructure Manager is responsible of the correct execution of Infrastructure works to be implemented in the Community Strengthening Project, and other that Mercy Corps deems convenient; within the services to be rendered by the Manager.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• He/she will perform as focal point among municipalities, community and program in identifying and executing the infrastructure projects within the program.
• He/she will develop the process for the different stages of the project: pre-investment, investment and operation.
• Develop the processes of design, planning, bidding, and supervision of infrastructure woks to be carried out during the program.
• Give the necessary instructions related to staff and key staff to be hired according to Work’s Contract. (At least, 10% of staff should be community staff).
• Give instructions related to the Work’s Contract warranties (Payments in advance, achievement) and securities, and verify their adjustment of what is provisioned in the Contract, including the corresponding to partial or total release of the same.
• Verify the authenticity and validity of securities presented by the contractor.
• Inspection of facilities, materials and contractor’s equipment by giving necessary instructions to suppress the personal and material risks to third parties and environment.
• Keep general statistics of the Work and complete and up-dated files related to the advance of Works.
• Render specific reports when required.
• Review and approve the Final Report of Works
• Review or prepare the Discharge of Works, by reviewing and approving the corresponding reconsideration plans.
• Encourage the preparation of designs and projects planning through the coordination of the Program´s Consortium (community and municipalities) or by hiring a consultancy firm.
• Advise Mercy Corps about processes and legal documentation to be required.

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically
to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Manage two team members

Accountability

Reports Directly To: Senior Program Manager

Works Directly With: CSP Municipal Officers, Program partners, Mercy Corps Purchase Unit, Community members where project will be implemented, and municipal corporations.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA/S in Construction Engineering, Civil Engineer, Architect or similar career or equivalent in relevant field required; MA/S preferred.
• 5 to 10 years of proven experience in supervision, management and / or execution of infrastructure projects.
• Fluent in Spanish and English.
• Excellent capacity to write terms of reference for engineering consultant enterprises and contractors firms to carry out agreed public processes.
• Experience in revision and negotiation of products received from consultant firms and contractors.
• Ability to work with consultants in order to fulfill terms, budget and timetable of the project, and technical competencies, quality and project goals.
• Demonstrated success in supervising technical staff to assure the quality of works.
• Successful in developing post description and recruitment of technical and administrative staff.
• Experience in preparing and presenting projects to municipalities (including finance or budgets), donors and team of work of the project.
• Experience in developing and applying quality management standards for technical staff, including documentation and reports of the project.
• Capacity to jointly work with teams at field.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral.
• Excellent negotiation, representation skills; and capacity to work and coordinate actions with different cultural groups.
• Attention to details, capacity to fulfill procedures, terms and work independently and jointly with members of the staff.
• Demonstrated capacity to solve problems independently, without direct supervision.
• Ability to work with other sectors and integrate goals and objectives to infrastructure projects.
• Know and manage basic computer programs related to Engineering

Success Factors

The successful Infrastructure Manager will have high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building and will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions

The Infrastructure Manager is based in Guatemala City. The location is accompanied. Housing is individual accommodation with unlimited freedom of movement beyond the house/office. There are high quality International schools in Guatemala. Staff have good access to services and modern conveniences, including medical, electricity; water, etc. This position requires up to 70% travel by car to field offices throughout Guatemala.

Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

PI97790036

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Organization: Clinton Health Access Initiative
Country: Panama
Closing date: 10 Jun 2017

Founded in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems around the world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other illnesses. Based on the premise that business oriented strategy can facilitate solutions to global health challenges, CHAI acts as a catalyst to mobilize new resources and optimize the impact of these resources to save lives, via improved organization of commodity markets and more effective local management. By working in association with governments and other NGO partners, CHAI is focused on large scale impact and, to date, CHAI has secured lower pricing agreements for treatment options in more than 70 countries. In addition, CHAI’s teams are working side-by-side with over 30 governments to tackle many of the largest barriers to effective treatment and care.

Malaria is one of the world’s most important causes of illness, death, and lost economic productivity. Over the past decade, dramatic increases in donor funding have facilitated scale-up of effective interventions to prevent, diagnosis, and treat malaria. This investment has successfully reduced the burden of malaria in many settings, and some countries have begun planning to eliminate it altogether. Yet these gains are fragile: global funding for malaria remains short of what is needed, last decade’s rapid growth in malaria financing appears to have halted, and resistance to insecticides and drugs threatens to set back efforts. The great majority of the growth in funding for malaria programs has come from potentially volatile international donors rather than from domestic contributions, making the sustainability of recent gains an open question.

CHAI provides direct management and technical support to countries around the globe to strengthen their malaria programs and reduce the burden of this preventable, treatable disease. We support governments to scale up effective interventions for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance, with the goals of sustainably reducing the number of malaria-related illnesses and deaths worldwide in the short-term and accelerating progress towards malaria elimination in the long term.

The Country Associate will:

• Work with the National Malaria Program in the target country and the CHAI global malaria team to conduct a rapid country assessment to identify the technical, operational and financial requirements for sustainably achieving elimination

• Lead the assembly and compilation of epidemiological, operational, and financial data

• Coordinate evaluation of program processes, capacity, guidelines and field activities to define implementation barriers and identify areas that require strengthening to achieve elimination

• Build strong working relationships with key stakeholders across government and non-governmental organizations

• Work with the CHAI Regional Manager to develop a country work plan for delivering a coordinated program of support to the National Malaria Program

• Support the National Malaria Program on the reorientation of their program towards elimination, specific activities will include:

• Revising national malaria strategic plan

• Updating national guidelines and policies to align with global elimination recommendations

• Developing detailed operational plans, SOPs and associated training materials to build government capacity and support effective execution of malaria program

• Identify key impediments to the successful execution of malaria elimination plans and work with malaria programs and other partners to develop solutions to rapidly address those bottlenecks

• Work with the MoH and partners to accelerate introduction and uptake of new tools and diagnostics

• Serve as a trusted adviser to the government on malaria elimination

• Provide program and budget updates for progress reports and best practice sharing

• Compile inputs and draft necessary presentations/reports for internal stakeholders and donors

• Travel 40%-50% of the time to the respective Country

• Bachelor’s degree plus 3 – 5 years of work experience

• Strong problem solving skills and analytical capabilities

• Excellent written and oral communications skills

• Detail-oriented with strong organization skills

• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities, and work independently

• Ability to be effective in high-pressure situations and work in a fast-paced, multicultural environment

• Ability to be patient and thoughtful even under stress

• High level of proficiency in relevant computer applications particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

• Spanish fluency (written and oral)

Advantage:

• Knowledge of Malaria
• Experience with infectious disease control programs
• Experience living and/or working in developing countries
• Language skills in Spanish, Portuguese, or French

PI97816365

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Organization: Chemonics
Country: Dominican Republic
Closing date: 23 May 2017

Chemonics seeks a health commodity logistics specialist for USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain – Procurement and Supply Management Project (GHSC-PSM) in the Dominican Republic. This role will coordinate the smooth in-country delivery of Zika commodities (i.e., personal insect repellent) to the Dominican Republic Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance or other designated recipients in the country. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Responsibilities include:

• Determine importation requirements for insect repellent to be distributed to at-risk women
• Collaborate with the Global Supply Chain team to meet importation requirements
• Coordinate central-level storage of commodities with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance and USAID
• Coordinate distribution with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance, USAID, and implementing partners

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in supply chain management, public health, medicine, international development, social sciences, or related field (a bachelor’s degree combined with 15 to 20 years of experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree)
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in global health supply chain logistics
• Experience in managing importation of health commodities, coordinating the central-level storage of commodities, quantifying demand and supply planning, distributing commodities to the regional level, and collaborating with ministries of health and implementing partners in Latin America and the Caribbean
• Demonstrated expertise in USAID programming; specific knowledge of Zika is a plus
• Experience in managing client expectations and competing priorities
• Demonstrated skills in capacity building and knowledge transfer
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication, diplomatic, and public relations skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Business Suite (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Ability to travel in-country or internationally as requested
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Proficiency in English and Spanish

How to apply:

Send electronic submissions to PSMCentralAmericaRecruitment@chemonics.com by May 23, 2017. Please include «The Health Commodity Logistics Specialist-DR» in the subject line. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

José Quishpe represents 400 farmers of the Alpaca Project of Cayambe Canton, in the Ecuadorian province of Pichincha.  They plant corn (grain), ulluco (tuber), maize, barley, wheat, potato, quinoa and other crops on their 1,200 hectares. Among the many daily challenges they face are soil erosion and crop losses. They currently use a flood irrigation system, which does not allow them to adequately distribute the resource among all members. This unsustainable water usage affects the population’s quality of life. This is the context of the Sustainable Family Farming Modernization Project, which promotes more efficient water usage among farmers through localized irrigation infrastructure and training. They project also provides technical support to strengthen the organization of the association, develop environmental and agricultural practices, as well as support marketing of their production. In Ecuador, just 13.8% of farmland has localized irrigation. This technology enables smallholder farmers to optimize water usage and efficiently supplies crops with enough water for their development, reducing waste of this valuable and increasingly scarce resource. Like José, many farmers have participated in the meetings organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery and Fishing (MAGAP) to inform them on the project and invite them to submit their applications to obtain financing for the installation of localized irrigation systems. “We are very enthusiastic about the possibility of submitting a proposal that can be selected and financed. This irrigation method not only optimizes water usage, but also our time. When we don’t use the modern irrigation technologies, we have to get up at night or at dawn to manually carry out this activity,” said José Quishpe. The initial works of the pilot sub-projects are now being implemented in the provinces of Manabí, Bolívar, Los Ríos, El Oro and Loja. The investment includes the installation of sprinkler, micro-sprinkler or drip irrigation systems. Construction of each system requires four or five months, after which time other activities are carried out, such as training in the operation and maintenance of the systems and social strengthening of the users’ boards for their effective administration. Two hundred and forty-five families farming more than 500 hectares will be the first beneficiaries of these works. Once the modern irrigation system is in operation, the project will offer technical assistance to farmers to improve crop probability and marketing. The Project is implemented in 10 provinces of the highlands and seven of the coast with a US$80 million World Bank loan; US$20 million from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation; US$20 million from MAGAP; and a US$8.6 million contribution from beneficiaries.   Smallholder and medium-holder farmers with up to 20 hectares in the highlands and 40 hectares on the coast are eligible to participate in the project.

José Quishpe representa a 400 agricultores del proyecto Alpaca del cantón Cayambe, en la provincia ecuatoriana Pichincha.  Ellos son propietarios de 1.200 hectáreas donde tradicionalmente cultivan chocho (leguminosa), melloco (tubérculo), maíz, cebada, trigo, papa, quinoa, entre otros productos. Entre los muchos desafíos a los que se enfrentan cada día están la erosión de los suelos y la pérdida de las cosechas. Actualmente, el riego lo aplican por inundación, lo que no les permite distribuir adecuadamente el recurso a todos los socios. Este uso poco sustentable del agua afecta la calidad de vida de la población. Es en este contexto que se inserta el Proyecto de Irrigación Tecnificada (PIT), que permitirá a los agricultores utilizar de forma mucho más eficiente el agua a través de infraestructura de riego tecnificado parcelario, además de recibir apoyo técnico para fortalecer la organización de la asociación, desarrollar prácticas ambientales y de economía productiva, así como respaldar la comercialización de sus productos. En Ecuador apenas el 13.8% de la superficie bajo riego cuenta con riego tecnificado. Este tipo de tecnología permite a los pequeños agricultores optimizar el uso del agua y suministrar a los cultivos la cantidad necesaria de manera eficiente para su desarrollo, disminuyendo de esta forma el desperdicio de este valioso recurso que es cada vez más escaso. Como José, muchos agricultores han participado en las convocatorias que realiza el Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Acuacultura y Pesca, MAGAP, para socializar el proyecto e invitarles a presentar las solicitudes para obtener el financiamiento para la instalación del riego tecnificado.  “Estamos muy entusiasmados con la posibilidad de presentar una propuesta que pueda ser seleccionada y financiada. Esta modalidad de riego no solo permite optimizar el uso del agua sino también nuestro tiempo, cuando no contamos con la tecnificación tenemos que levantarnos en las noches o madrugadas para realizar esta  actividad manualmente”, señaló José Quishpe. Las primeras obras de los subproyectos piloto ya están en ejecución en las provincias de Manabí, Bolívar, Los Ríos, El Oro y Loja. La inversión incluye la construcción de la infraestructura de riego tecnificado por aspersión, micro aspersión o goteo.  Los plazos de construcción para cada obra están entre cuatro y cinco meses, luego de lo cual se realizarán otras actividades como: capacitaciones en operación y mantenimiento de los sistemas construidos y el fortalecimiento social a las juntas de usuarios para su correcta administración.  De estas primeras obras se beneficiarán 245 familias con más de 500 hectáreas. Además, con los equipos de riego tecnificado funcionando, se ofrecerá asistencia técnica a los agricultores para generar mayor rentabilidad en sus cultivos y comercializarlos mejor. El Proyecto de Irrigación Tecnificada se implementa en diez provincias de la Sierra y siete de la Costa a través de financiamiento del Banco Mundial por USD$80 millones; de la AECID por USD$20 millones; el MAGAP por USD$20 millones; y, un aporte de los beneficiarios de USD$8.6 millones.   Al proyecto pueden aplicar pequeños y medianos productores que tienen hasta 20 hectáreas en la Sierra y 40 hectáreas en la Costa.  

Un nuevo enfoque en torno a las Asociaciones Público Privadas podría ayudar a la región a gastar mejor, aunque no necesariamente más SAN PABLO, 4 de mayo de 2017 – Un nuevo informe del Banco Mundial publicado hoy indica que América Latina y el Caribe tiene un gran potencial para incrementar las Asociaciones Público Privadas (APP) para así ayudar a resolver su déficit de infraestructura. Sin embargo, para lograrlo, la región deberá superar la impresión generalizada de que las APP no son más que un instrumento para enfrentar las restricciones fiscales y maximizar su impacto potencial sobre la calidad de la infraestructura y la eficiencia y transparencia del gasto. El informe Financiamiento privado de la infraestructura pública mediante APP en América Latina y el Caribe es una evaluación a profundidad del panorama de las APP en la región. Analiza los desafíos y el menú de políticas disponibles para que los países aumenten el financiamiento privado en infraestructura pública mediante las APP. “Combinar el capital público y privado y aprovechar la eficiencia e innovación del sector privado puede marcar una enorme diferencia”, dijo Jorge Familiar, Vicepresidente del Banco Mundial para América Latina y el Caribe. “Cuando están bien diseñadas, las APP pueden aportar una mayor eficiencia y sostenibilidad a los servicios públicos. A medida que la región deja atrás seis años de desaceleración económica, las APP pueden ayudar a estimular la inversión en infraestructura y fortalecer el impulso de crecimiento”. La mayoría de los países de la región mejoró sus marcos legales y de políticas APP en los últimos veinte años; a su vez, 17 países de la región ya cuentan con unidades APP plenamente operativas. Actualmente, las APP representan alrededor del 40 por ciento de los compromisos anuales en infraestructura de América Latina y el Caribe, si bien existe una gran variación entre países y en el tiempo. En los últimos diez años, la mayor parte de las APP en la región fueron inversiones en nuevas instalaciones, principalmente en el sector energético. Sin embargo, el informe revela que el capital privado representa menos de un tercio del financiamiento total para APP, mientras que alrededor de la mitad de las operaciones APP en América Latina recibió algún grado de apoyo gubernamental entre 2010 y 2014. El informe señala que un factor crucial de cara a impulsar la eficiencia y calidad de los proyectos APP es una adecuada distribución de los riesgos, basada en las capacidades del Estado, empresas concesionarias, usuarios, financistas y aseguradores. Y lo que es más importante, los países deberían evitar cualquier intento de compensar las deficiencias en la elaboración de proyectos elevando los riesgos que corre el sector público. Superar las distorsiones y alcanzar el potencial de las APP en América Latina también requerirá que se enfrenten desafíos tales como mejorar la elaboración de proyectos, impulsar la capacidad de financiación de proyectos y aumentar la amplitud y sofisticación de los mercados financieros regionales, un requisito fundamental a la hora de apoyar una operación APP. El informe indica que la mayoría de los países de la región tiene dificultades al momento de elaborar proyectos efectivos, resultando en proyectos que salen a licitación sin una base adecuada. De acuerdo al informe, una selección de proyectos APP bien diseñados ahorra tiempo y dinero al descartar rápidamente los proyectos deficientes o aquellos que no son adecuados para APP. Asimismo, contar con una cartera de proyectos con base en evaluaciones de costo-beneficio que reflejen las prioridades sociales, económicas y de política de cada país derivaría en decisiones más estratégicas respecto a si un proyecto es adecuado para un financiamiento APP. Por último, el informe sostiene que las instituciones financieras para el desarrollo, tanto multilaterales como domésticas, deberían jugar un papel más activo en el financiamiento y el aporte de conocimientos, incluido el intercambio de conocimientos entre países, y en particular ayudar a elevar la calidad y comerciabilidad de un proyecto hasta un nivel que permita la participación del sector privado. El informe está disponible en este enlace. — Para más información sobre el trabajo del Banco Mundial en América Latina y el Caribe: www.bancomundial.org/lac Visítenos en Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bancomundial Manténgase informado vía Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BancoMundialLAC Nuestro canal de YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/BancoMundialLAC

Uma nova abordagem para as Parcerias Público-Privadas pode ajudar a região a gastar melhor, não necessariamente mais SÃO PAULO, 4 de maio de 2017 – Um novo relatório do Banco Mundial divulgado hoje afirma que a América Latina e o Caribe …

As Latin America adapts to the downturn in commodity prices, policymakers are turning to the surest path to sustainable, lasting growth: innovation. “When businesses innovate, productivity increases and economies become more competitive,” says Marialisa Motta, manager of the Trade and Competitiveness practice in Latin America and the Caribbean. Many Latin American countries have policies to encourage innovation, but most are less efficient or effective than they could be. The World Bank Group is helping governments take stock of their programs and improve them. The goal, says Senior Private Sector Specialist Alberto Criscuolo, is to see “what is the bang for the buck? Is the public expenditure on innovation consistent with the policy priorities on innovation? How effective are the programs on innovation? Are there overlaps between agencies and ministries? What can we learn from the implementation of existing programs?” These reviews of science, technology, and innovation spending are being done with World Bank Group support in Peru, Colombia, and Chile, among others. Often, Criscuolo says, there’s a “gap between what industry needs and what universities are researching. The two sides don’t talk to each other.” The World Bank Group assessments can help identify which areas of innovation are in high demand from industry, and encourage funding of that research.Evaluating the Mix In Chile, the World Bank Group evaluated the quality of the innovation and entrepreneurship policy mix and worked with two government agencies to identify good practices and weaknesses in design and implementation practices. The results were used to inform the current restructuring of innovation instruments. In Colombia, the World Bank Group evaluated more than 120 policy instruments, measuring the effectiveness of the policy mix, the degree of redundancies, and gaps. Now the Bank Group is helping the government design a national innovation strategy by recommending good practices on innovation instruments, such as better-defined tax incentives for research and development. “Fewer than 20 companies in the whole country were benefiting from the tax breaks, mostly large mineral or energy companies,” says Lead Economist Leonardo Iacovone, who worked on the Colombia assessment, after which the country changed its system. Iacovone is now co-leading a $600 million loan to Colombia, approved in March 2017, whose objectives include strengthening innovation policies.Management as Well as Technology Innovation is about management as much as technology, Iacovone points out. “A company that’s able to innovate is one that’s able to learn. The way you get organized and managed is crucial in the way you’re able to learn: Setting and monitoring targets. Linking human resources processes and incentives to targets. Getting feedback from workers on how to continuously improve.” In Brazil as well, there is much room to improve how firms are managed, says Lead Economist Mark Dutz. Surveys show that 18% of firms are very badly managed, compared to 11% in Mexico, 6% in China, and 2% in the United States, according to the World Management Survey. But technology is important too. Though some fear that adopting new technologies will kill jobs, Dutz says, “Technology adoption by firms can actually be inclusive, creating more and better jobs not just for highly skilled workers, but also lower-skilled workers – provided there is enough output expansion.” Traditionally, Latin American economies, particularly Brazil, have been relatively closed to foreign trade, giving companies little incentive to innovate and remain competitive in global markets – and leading to higher prices for consumers. But breaking down those barriers means that companies can expand beyond their traditional domestic markets. “They need to think of the world as their oyster,” Dutz says.

Following the successful completion of the Paraguay Biodiversity Project, (supported by Global Environment Facility) which has contributed to the preservation of one of the region’s largest biological corridors, the World Bank and the hydroelectric dam Itaipú Binacional signed  a technical cooperation agreement to continue working on conservation of the Atlantic Forest. Through a Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreement (RAS), the World Bank (WB) will provide technical assistance to Itaipú to support the conservation and restoration of the Atlantic Forest, which is home to unique species of fauna and flora. The presentation of the agreement was attended by Jorge Familiar, Vice President of the World Bank for the Latin American and Caribbean Region, who highlighted the natural wealth of Paraguay as a blessing that must be taken care of for future generations. "Natural resources have to be used to generate wealth and development, but in a sustainable way so that they generate benefits for future generations," he said. "It is very clear today that we cannot talk about development without sustainability," he added. Ruth Tiffer Sotomayor, Project Team Leader from the Environment Global Practice, explained that through this cooperation the WB will support a strategy of engaging Itaipú with the government, local communities and the private sector in the largest restoration and conservation effort for the Atlantic Forest Corridor. The project will improve connectivity of ecosystems by promoting better land use practices, supporting the livelihoods of local farmers and indigenous communities, advising on policy changes, strengthening institutions and putting in practice the Bank’s global knowledge on landscape and forest restoration. 

A dreamy holiday destination for sun lovers and beach goers, Grenada, also called the "Spice Island," is home to over 100,000 people. With an ocean area 80 times larger than its land space, a rich and pristine coastline and colorful coral reefs driving its tourism industry, and a real understanding of climate risks, this Eastern Caribbean Island has recently positioned itself as a real blue economy champion in the region. Over 13,000 kilometers west, another small island developing state in the Western Indian Ocean with similar challenges and opportunities—the Seychelles—is also leading on the blue agenda. What common challenges and opportunities are facing small economies? What can the World Bank contribute to generate stable growth in small economies? These are key questions raised in recent conversations in the Caribbean and Washington. Small size, yet great opportunities Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell, recently appointed as chair of the World Bank Group Small States Forum taking over from Seychelles Minister of Finance Jean-Paul Adam, called for the need to change the narrative from big to small, and in doing so, address opportunities for small states. "Small states can set an example for the rest of the world," said Prime Minister Mitchell. "We do not come to the table cap in hand. Small and nimble, quick and cost effective, so let’s look at specific opportunities." A recently launched World Bank study "Open and Nimble: Finding Stable Growth in Small Economies" shows that economic size measured by the size of working age population does not matter to the development and economic growth of countries. While small economies are more open to trade and foreign investment and highly specialized in their export sectors, they are also more nimble and able to change the structure of their economies and exports over time. In fact, small economies such as Costa Rica and Caribbean countries have been more successful in reinventing themselves than some of the region’s giants. Small states of the Caribbean have also shown how the strength of their fiscal policies and financial sector can help them become more resilient in difficult times. According to the Bank report "Taming Volatility: Fiscal Policy and Financial Development for Growth in the Eastern Caribbean," countries in the region such as Grenada and Saint Kitts, which have been able to save in good times and strengthen their banking system, have been able to endure more difficult times. Thinking blue growth and climate resilience Small island developing states such as Grenada and the Seychelles are looking at the ocean as the next frontier for sustainable economic development and are now starting to "think blue." For the Caribbean, this means unlocking ocean wealth in a way that sustainably contributes to blue growth and returns long-term benefits to communities such as job opportunities and food security. World Bank report "Toward a Blue Economy: A Promise for Sustainable Growth in the Caribbean" estimates that the Caribbean Sea generated $407 billion in 2012, representing almost 18 percent of Caribbean GDP, including mainland Caribbean coastal countries. Last year, the Seychelles completed an innovative debt for nature swap to strengthen the country’s environmental sustainability and climate resilience by restructuring its debt and adopting a comprehensive marine special plan. In the Caribbean, the World Bank Group is accelerating progress in this area by supporting the implementation of the Eastern Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Policy (ECROP) endorsed by all 11 heads of state of the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The search for "blue growth" is now at the top of Grenada and many other small island developing states. This will also be part of the focus for the next heads of state meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in July. Small states matter "The 50 percent increase of the International Development Association (IDA) from $50 billion to $75 billion, is a major opportunity for small states that are eligible for IDA (the World Bank Group’s concessional financing window). This comes at a very uncertain time for development finance and for climate finance," said Mitchell during the Small State Engagement Update at the WB-IMF Spring Meetings. For the Caribbean, the allocation for IDA-eligible countries including Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadine has more than tripled for the next IDA cycle. "With a larger allocation, these small states can strategically shift to larger and transformational projects that boost sustainable growth and generate inclusive opportunities for their population, especially youth," said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank country director for the Caribbean.

¿Para ti, la inversión en carreteras, aeropuertos, energía y otras áreas de la infraestructura es un papel exclusivo del Estado? ¿O puede incluir la participación del sector privado? Cada vez más gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe …

Para você, o investimento em estradas, aeroportos, energia e outras áreas da infraestrutura é papel exclusivo do Estado? Ou pode incluir a participação do setor privado? Cada vez mais governos da América Latina e do Caribe optam pela segunda resposta, em especial levando-se em conta dois fatores.  O primeiro deles consiste no déficit de investimento em infraestrutura – a diferença entre o que existe e o que é necessário –, com estimativas em torno de US$ 180 bilhões por ano. O segundo é a dificuldade de aumentar significativamente o investimento público no atual contexto fiscal apertado e de recuperação lenta da economia latino-americana depois de seis anos de recessão.  Resultado: na última década, o número de projetos de parcerias público-privadas (PPPs) mais do que triplicou, passando de 40 para 140, sobretudo nos setores de energia, transportes, água e esgoto.  Um novo relatório do Banco Mundial sobre o tema, Financiamento privado de infraestruturas públicas por meio de PPPs na América Latina e Caribe, traz outros dados que evidenciam a importância crescente desse modelo na região. Entre eles, a quantidade de países que aprovaram leis referentes a elas nas últimas duas décadas: 19.  Já o percentual do PIB investido nas parcerias aumentou menos do que a média de crescimento da economia regional. Ou seja, o volume de recursos ainda pode evoluir, mas atraí-los e usá-los com eficiência – uma necessidade para toda a região – são ações que dependem de diversos fatores.  Segundo o relatório, embora a América Latina e o Caribe tenham programas de PPP desde o fim dos anos 1980, a evolução e o nível de sofisticação deles não têm sido uniformes.  Os do Chile e México são considerados os mais bem-sucedidos da região, especialmente no setor de transportes. Brasil, Colômbia e Peru também têm trajetórias extensas de projetos de PPP. No entanto, mesmo os mercados mais avançados precisam criar ambientes de licitação com maior competitividade e melhorar os mecanismos de financiamento de projetos. A região ainda tem em comum o desafio de melhorar a fase de planejamento e preparação dos projetos. Antes de tomar a decisão de contratação por meio de PPPs, por exemplo, o estudo recomenda fazer uma avaliação socioeconômica de custo-benefício, e poucos países cumprem isso.