The East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region has achieved one of the most remarkable economic transformations in history. In just a few decades, hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, living standards have surged, and the region has become a global benchmark for what development looks like when it works. But success raises its own questions, and the most urgent one is this: having come so far, so fast, what does it take to keep going?
“Credit: World Bank Group. All rights reserved”
ADDIS ABABA, August 28, 2026—A new World Bank report released today titled Integrating Africa: From Threads to Hubs, finds that the continent’s next major integration gains will come from making African markets work together—connecting production across borders, reducing trade and regulatory frictions, strengthening implementation of regional agreements, and delivering the infrastructure, services, and jobs that regional markets need.
Continue reading
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 25, 2026 –The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) today priced a 10-year euro-denominated benchmark bond maturing in September 2036, raising EUR 3 billion.
The transaction attracted over 115 orders totaling over EUR 6 billion, appealing to investors around the globe. The bond priced with an annual yield of 3.477%. This equates to a spread vs. the reference Bund of +25.5 basis points.
Continue readingWASHINGTON, 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.
Continue readingAfrica 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.
Continue readingIn 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.
Continue readingWASHINGTON, 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.
Continue reading
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?
Continue reading
