Photo: Stephan Bachenheimer
east asia and pacific Growth in the East Asia and Pacific region remained strong and grew by 8.2 percent (4.3 percent, not including China) in 2011, although it has slowed since post-crisis peaks. Poverty continues to fall, with the number of peo ple living on less than $2 a day expected to decrease by 24 million in 2012. With the global slowdown likely to continue, the region needs to reduce its reliance on exports and find new sources of growth. World Bank Assistance The Bank approved $6.6 billion for East Asia and Pacific for 37 projects this fiscal year. Support included $5.4 billion in IBRD loans and $1.2 billion in IDA commitments, including $125 million in grants. The leading sectors were Public Administration, Law, and Justice ($2.0 billion); Water, Sanitation, and Flood Protection ($1.3 billion); and Transportation ($1.1 billion). The Bank’s regional strategy continues to focus on climate change and disaster risk management, poverty reduction, urbanization and infrastruc ture challenges, and improved governance, while responding to emerging challenges and new opportunities. This year, the Bank moved ahead on engagement in Myanmar, with the aim of supporting reforms that will benefit all the people of Myanmar, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Reducing Poverty While the region has made impressive gains in poverty reduction, about half a billion people still live on less than $2 a day. Economic crises and natural disasters have given urgency to the need to help countries prepare for volatility and shocks, and the need to expand safety nets to protect the poor is increasingly important. In the Philippines, the Bank is supporting the government with the expansion of its conditional cash transfer pro gram Pantawid Pamilyang, which has benefited more than 3 million fami lies to date. Managing Disaster Risk Severe flooding in Thailand in 2011—which inundated large parts of the country, including parts of Bangkok—highlighted the importance of di saster risk management in a region prone to natural disasters and the ef fects of climate change. To help address the growing challenge of flooding in cities, the Bank produced a guidebook to support government efforts to build flood mitigation measures into urban planning. It is also working with partners to help Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries increase financial resilience as part of a broader pro gram to strengthen the capacity to reduce disaster risk.
FIGURE 2.3
FIGURE 2.4
EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC IBRD AND IDA LENDING BY SECTOR | FISCAL 2012
EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC IBRD AND IDA LENDING BY THEME | FISCAL 2012
SHARE OF TOTAL OF $6.6 BILLION
SHARE OF TOTAL OF $6.6 BILLION
Water, Sanitation, and Flood Protection
20%
Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry
6% 4%
8%
Finance
6%
Health and Other Social Services
1% 1% 30%
Economic Management
12%
Energy and Mining Trade and Integration
16%
5%
Education 8%
Transportation
16%
Urban Development
Industry and Trade Information and Communications
Public Administration, Law, and Justice
Social Protection and Risk Management Social Development, Gender, and Inclusion
Rural Development
Environmental and Natural Resources Management
4% 14%
16%
Financial and Private Sector Development
7%
Human Development
1%
11%
14%
Public Sector Goverance
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