Country Assistance Strategy (CAS)

The Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) is the most important World Bank country document. It is tailored to the needs and circumstances of each country and lays down the World Bank Group's development priorities, as well as the level and type of assistance the Bank will provide for a period of three years.

The CAS preparation is a participatory process. Before the adoption, key elements of the strategy are discussed with government representatives; and to ensure the widest possible involvement, public dialogues are also held, with Internet-based discussions taking place in many countries.

However, the CAS is not a negotiated document. Any differences between the country's own agenda and the Bank's strategy are highlighted in the CAS document. A progress report is issued in the intervening year. More information is available at the World Bank CAS website.

Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Niger

The Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Niger covers a three-year period from FY03 to FY05. It identifies key issues in Niger's economic and social development, reviews performance under the 1997 CAS, and discusses a potential program of lending and non-lending operations under different scenarios of risk and performance.

Two major developments since the last CAS have influenced the strategic thrusts of this CAS. First, Niger reached the Decision Point of the Enhanced HIPC Initiative in December 2000 and second, Niger completed its first full Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP, PDF, 581 KB). 

The base case lending program consists of 1-2 projects per year as well as adjustment lending in support of the Niger PRSP.  In a low case scenario, resulting from poor policy or implementation performance, program emphasis would focus on social services and commitments would not exceed US$100 million. The high-case scenario, resulting from a superior level of performance, would be up to US$260 million.

CAS implementation faces several risks including reform slippage, a return to poor governance practices, drought and poor implementation progress. The Bank seeks to mitigate these risks with support for the PRSP reform program, focusing on transparency and accountability, embedding capacity building in all Bank operations, and using a mix of adjustment and investment operations (including in education, health, and rural development) both to support reforms and to build administrative and service delivery capacity.

For more information, please refer to the Niger CAS (PDF, 5 MB).