A Snapshot of the OBA Universe

Development practitioners are acutely aware of the need to find more effective ways to improve basic living conditions for the poor, as traditional approaches of delivering public support have not always led to the results intended.

Output-Based Aid (OBA) is a resultsbased instrument that is being used to improve the delivery of basic infrastructure and social services to the poor, often through public-private partnerships. This note provides an overview of the use and performance of OBA based on the World Bank study “Output-Based Aid: Lessons Learned and Best Practices” (Mumssen, Johannes and Kumar 2010).