Category Archives: Uncategorized

Further strengthening how we measure global poverty

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For 35 years, the World Bank Group has measured global poverty to track progress toward eradicating what is considered the most severe deprivation of basic human needs—extreme poverty. This goal is at the very heart of our organization’s mission.

The introduction of the international poverty line in 1990 gave us a global benchmark that captured the daily cost for a person to meet their basic needs  in a low-income country, which at that time was $1. The line has been updated several times since then to reflect changing prices and the costs of meeting basic needs. The most recent update, which happened this month, sets it at $3 per person per day.

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Global trade’s rollercoaster ride

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Global trade has proved resilient amid rising protectionism and geopolitical tension, leavened by regional integration and new trade agreements.

After decades of steady expansion that powered global growth and lifted millions out of poverty, the system underpinning cross-border trade has come under strain. Even before the eruption of trade tensions between major economies earlier this year, trade-restrictive measures had reached unprecedented levels. Today, the combination of pandemic-era supply-chain disruptions, resurgent protectionism, and intensifying geopolitical tensions has created a far more uncertain environment for global trade.

Yet trade growth has proved remarkably resilient so far this year. At the same time, many countries have recognised the need for deeper integration and have launched new trade agreements — particularly among emerging-market and developing economies (EMDEs), which continue to pursue a more active role in shaping the future of global trade.

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Progress Toward 1.5 Billion Health Care Goal Advances as Countries Adopt National Health Compacts

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Reforms focus on expanding primary care, improving affordability, and supporting job-rich growth

TOKYO, Dec. 6, 2025 — Countries and partners today reported continued progress toward the World Bank Group’s goal—set in April 2024—to help deliver affordable, quality health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030. Building on that momentum, 15 countries introduced National Health Compacts, outlining practical, five-year reforms that aim to expand primary health care, improve affordability, and support job-rich economic growth.

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World Bank Releases US$500 Million to Assist Philippines after Typhoon Kalmaegi (“Tino”)

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WASHINGTON, November 28, 2025 – On November 24, 2025, the World Bank released US$500 million to support the Philippine Government’s recovery and reconstruction efforts in areas battered by Typhoon Kalmaegi (locally known as “Tino”).

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Asian Development Bank and the World Bank Group Announce Pacific Projects as First Proposed Under Groundbreaking Partnership Initiative

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES, December 4, 2025 — World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda today announced the first two Pacific projects to be delivered under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework, an innovative cofinancing model that will boost development impact.

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International Debt Report 2025

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The International Debt Report (IDR) is a longstanding annual publication of the World Bank featuring external debt statistics and analysis for the low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debtor Reporting System (DRS).

For five decades the IDR, along with the associated International Debt Statistics (IDS) database, has helped shape policies in development finance by sharing timely and comprehensive external debt data and analysis with the international community. Drawing on data collected through the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System, the IDR has tracked evolving borrowing patterns and new lending instruments over the years, measured the impact of initiatives to relieve debt burdens, and promoted best practices in debt recording and reporting.

The newly published IDR 2025 includes an analysis of end-2024 external debt flows and debt stock positions as well as the macroeconomic and debt outlook for 2025 and beyond, and updates on the debt transparency agenda.

In addition, the IDS-DSSI database includes the actual debt service deferred from by each bilateral creditor and the projected monthly debt-service payments owed to all bilateral creditors.

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Innovation in development: Lessons from World Bank experience

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Think of this: In a small, rural community a mother receives a mobile alert that her monthly cash transfer has arrived just in time to buy school supplies and food. Down the road, the local council approves a small grant to build a footbridge that will connect the community to markets, schools, and a clinic. 

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World Bank Group and the Global Fund Join Forces to Strengthen Health Systems and Expand Sustainable Health Financing

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World Bank Group and Global Fund sign a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen primary healthcare and the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria

Washington, D.C. / Geneva, 6 December 2025 – The World Bank Group and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help developing countries build stronger, more resilient health systems and secure sustainable financing for primary health care and the fight against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.

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