Strong Sterling Investor Demand Drives World Bank’s GBP 1.25 Billion 6-Year Benchmark Bond

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 26, 2026 – The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) today priced a 6.3-year British pound sterling (GBP) benchmark maturing in November 2032. The Sustainable Development Bond raised GBP 1.25 billion from investors globally to support the financing of the World Bank’s sustainable development activities in member countries.

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One year into AgriConnect: what we’re learning in Africa

Africa has long been regarded as the world’s next breadbasket. It has abundant arable land, fast growing demand, and a vibrant business environment that could provide jobs for millions of young people entering the labor market each year.

Yet, Africa’s agricultural potential is still largely untapped. The continent imports large amounts of food while critical gaps, from energy and irrigation to finance and digital services, hamper productivity and investment. Closing this gap will require $180 billion in investment – and coordinated action across infrastructure, policies and private capital.

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How data and evidence can make anticorruption reforms more inclusive

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), one in five people report experiencing or knowing of sextortion — the exchange of sex, rather than money, for a public service — in their dealings with the state. In Kenya, women seeking public services are more than four times as likely as men to be asked directly for sexual favors. Numbers like these are why anticorruption data cannot afford to be gender-blind. Corruption does not affect everyone equally.

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World Bank’s USD 7-Year Sustainable Development Bond Meets Strong Demand from High-Quality Investors

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 18, 2026 – The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) today priced a USD 4 billion benchmark bond that matures in August 2033.

With more than 150 investor orders, the transaction attracted over USD 11 billion in high-quality investor orders, primarily driven by bank treasuries, central banks/official institutions, and asset managers.

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The unequal costs of a global trade disruption

The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, caries a substantial share of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. A disruption to shipping through the strait, whether from conflict or geopolitical pressure – does not stay regional. The shock spreads through global value chains, raising energy prices, squeezing producers of energy-intensive goods, and suppressing demand. What are the real impacts on countries, sectors, and workers worldwide?

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World Bank Group Backs Water Security and Agricultural Resilience in Brazil’s Paraná State

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 26, 2026 — The World Bank Group will support the State of Paraná, Brazil, strengthen water security and protect farmers and rural communities from climate shocks through a new project. It is expected to generate and protect between 54,000 and 78,000 jobs across agriculture, water services, and associated economic activity in one of Brazil’s most economically vital regions.

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From Education to Opportunity: Investing in Nepal’s Youth for More and Better Jobs

  • From handloom artisans in Bhaktapur, to formally contracted delivery riders operating across Bharatpur, Biratnagar, and beyond, to agricultural and floriculture workers in Surkhet — ESP-supported ventures are creating meaningful jobs across Nepal.
  • Through ESP, over 1,900 students and graduates received entrepreneurship training, and 62 ventures received collateral-free, interest-free seed financing averaging NPR 2 million each — helping young Nepalis turn ideas into income-generating businesses.
  • With 500,000 young people entering Nepal’s workforce every year, ESP is helping higher education institutions go beyond traditional academics by partnering with the private sector, establishing business incubation centers at six universities, and equipping graduates with the practical skills the labor market demands.
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AI Offers Lifeline to Developing Economies in an Era of Weak Growth

If they act now, AI could help them achieve in a decade what might have taken a century

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2026—Artificial intelligence (AI) could allow developing countries to do in a decade what might otherwise take a century—provided that governments act swiftly to close the gaps in power, connectivity, skills, and institutional quality that threaten to leave them behind, according to the World Bank Group’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.

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Money on the table: Why better budget planning is key to fixing the water crisis

Water underpins good health, food production, and the energy that powers businesses. It also supports an estimated 1.7 billion jobs worldwide. Yet the world is massively off-track on Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. The water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) financing gap demanding dramatically higher public investments. And even the money governments do allocate for water routinely goes unspent.

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