Organized by the World Bank Group, the Federation of Chilean Industry (SOFOFA), the UC Chile University, and América Solidaria, the event brought together young people alongside representatives from the public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society to reflect on the labor challenges and opportunities that will shape Chile’s future.
TOKYO, June 1, 2026 — World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and Minister of Finance of Japan Satsuki Katayama today agreed to strengthen collaboration on helping developing countries build more resilient supply chains and energy systems, unlocking investment, jobs, and long-term economic growth.
They signed the document to launch the Resilient and Inclusive Supply-chain Enhancement Plus (RISE+) , and agreed on a new framework called Dynamic Response for Invigorating Value Chains and Energy Security (DRIVE). Together, these initiatives extend Japan’s existing partnerships with the World Bank Group on critical minerals and regional energy security.
Continue reading“Credit: World Bank Group. All rights reserved”
Good health fuels human potential — supporting education, work, and productivity. For people in emerging markets, it is essential to participating in a growing economy. Yet the scale of the global health challenge remains daunting: an estimated 4.5 billion people still lack access to essential health services. Health systems worldwide face worker shortages, weak infrastructure, rising demand, and financial barriers. In these constrained environments, AI offers real promise.
Continue reading
Ethiopia is transforming from an import-dependent market into a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub. After becoming the 9th African nation to reach WHO Maturity Level 3, local production now exceeds 40% of medicine supply. This WBG feature examines how regulation, the Kilinto Special Economic Zone, and research at AHRI and CDT-Africa are driving jobs, exports, and health sovereignty.
Continue reading
In 1990, facing a public health crisis, Mexico City initiated its first multiyear air quality management strategy, significantly reducing lead and sulfur emissions. These results were driven by a regional-focused approach, key regulatory reforms, and investments in data monitoring – all geared toward ensuring sustained and measurable impact.
Continue reading
Last month, I sat in a room in Lyon, France, alongside President Macron, health ministers, and global leaders for the G7 One Health Summit. One thing kept coming up in the room and across the two-day summit, panel after panel, in the corridors, and over dinner in Lyon and beyond: the link between development and security.
It is a link that I have been thinking about for years, and one that I believe is becoming the defining argument of our time for why development finance matters.
Continue readingThere is a bridge in northeastern Madagascar that you probably haven’t heard of, yet it probably has brought some joy into your life. It is about 140 meters long, with a three-meter-wide traffic lane and a one-meter-wide sidewalk. By any global measure, it is unremarkable. No tourists photograph it. It is not the kind of place that shows up on Instagram feeds, and no travel guidebook mentions it.
“Credit: World Bank Group. All rights reserved”
The global race for minerals and metals is accelerating. As urbanization, agriculture, digitalization, and energy needs intensify worldwide, demand for these minerals could double by 2040. For resource-rich developing countries, this is a major opportunity — not only to supply global markets, but also to create jobs, build industries, and strengthen economic resilience at home.
Continue reading
Netherlands for the World Bank 