IBI is uniquely successful at implementing policy change in complex environments. Our policy and governance work spans financial management, fiscal systems, trade policy, poverty reduction strategies, and competitiveness at regional, national, and local government levels.

In Liberia IBI is assisting the country to restore sound economic governance. After 14 years of civil war, government institutions were in disarray. Working with the newly elected government of Ellen Sirleaf Johnson—through the USAID Liberia Improved Budget, Assets and Mining Management project (LIBAMM)—IBI assists the Office of the Budget, the General Services Agency, and the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy. The Budget Office has introduced new program budgeting that allows each agency to define and defend its mission against measurable results. The General Services Agency has undergone comprehensive process remapping and developed a business plan for providing competitive services. The Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy has renegotiated and tendered mine development agreements throughout the country. Greenfield areas are being made available for exploration licenses on a first come, first served basis, and registered on a new computerized registry. Each organization has radically improved its transparency and efficiency.

IBI assisted the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Secretariat to develop and implement a strategic plan for establishing the Common External Tariff (CET) through the USAID-funded West Africa Trade Capacity Building Project. We conducted studies on rules and regulations governing cross-border flows of goods, funded national coordinating committees in each country, developed a model for calculating impacts of tariff level changes, facilitated national-level workshops for relevant stakeholders, and advised each national coordinating committee on draft legislation for adopting the CET.

In Ukraine IBI's fast track approach pleased the new government that the Orange Revolution brought into power. The government needed a new agricultural policy. Within six months, IBI's Ukrainian and American agricultural experts produced six studies on vital issues, published them I book form in Ukrainian and English, and held numerous public forums in agriculturally important oblasts to solicit public feedback and support. These studies formed the basis of the new policy.

In the Republic of Moldova IBI assisted deteriorating rural communities to build economic leadership capacity through training programs that introduced the idea that leaders are dependent on citizens to achieve their goals. Leaders actively began engaging community members to define needs, understand limitations, and devise appropriate plans. Leaders learned to develop communications campaigns as a means of reaching their constituencies' hearts and minds and generating support for development plans. IBI also facilitated the development of informal networks of community leaders who continued to share information, techniques, successes, and failures.

Read more of IBI's contribution to strengthening economic institutions and capacities in Lucie C Phillips (President of IBI) and Diery Seck, eds Fixing African Economies: Policy Research for Development (Lynne Rienner, 2004).