The 2020s were supposed to be the decade in which significant progress would be made 
toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Instead, the 2020s have delivered the weakest half-decade of global growth of the past 30 years. Weak investment growth is a major reason for this disappointing outcome.
Category Archives: WBG News & Reports
Four innovative ways the World Bank is fighting corruption
Corruption has a disproportionate impact on the world’s most poor and vulnerable, increasing 
costs and reducing access to basic services. It erodes trust in governments and is a driver of conflict and fragility. It enables environmental and safety controls to be bypassed, contributing to pollution, environmental damage, and sub-par infrastructure. Corruption also affects private sector trust and investor confidence. And it reduces local revenue collection through tax erosion, depriving governments of resources for funding public goods.
In the global development math, multiplication beats division
Concessional finance—that is, grants and low-interest loans—is more important than ever for 
the world’s poorest countries. Yet today’s aid architecture is highly complex, fragmented, and offers limited concessionality. In this context, it’s important to find ways to leverage the available resources for the biggest, most effective impact.
Remarks by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia
As Prepared for Delivery
Thank you for the kind introduction.
For me, this moment marks the culmination of a journey that began over a year ago—when I first started at the World Bank and promised to visit every region where we operate.
Climate Finance Fiscal Year 2024 Snapshot
WASHINGTON, September 19, 2024 — The World Bank Group delivered a record $42.6 billion in climate finance in fiscal year 2024—which covers July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024—supporting efforts to end poverty on a livable planet, investing in cleaner energy, more resilient communities, and stronger economies. This is a 10% increase in climate finance compared to the previous year.
Pacific Island Leaders Call for Bold Action to Replenish IDA (worldbank.org)
SUVA, September 10, 2024 –Leaders from across Pacific Island countries have called for a robust 21st replenishment of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA21), echoing the call from African Heads of State who agreed in April on a bold transformation agenda with IDA as a cornerstone. Hosted by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, leaders and representatives from 11 countries met with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga last week and reaffirmed IDA’s critical role in supporting Pacific islands as they work to boost development and climate resilience.
World Bank Live: The Biggest Ideas in Development Streaming Live
Finding a path to peace, stability, and development in Haiti
Less than an hour after landing in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Wednesday last week we were 
already at the National Emergency Operation Center of the Direction Générale de la Protection Civile discussing how the International Development Association (IDA) can help strengthen the country’s disaster risk management capacity. Remarkably, the center was launched in May 2024 despite the ongoing security and political crisis at the time, demonstrating the resilience of the IDA program implementation in Haiti. We witnessed similar results in other programs and during the field visit to the Southern Peninsula, where IDA projects are having a visible impact on the lives of the Haitian residents of that area.
A new World Bank database to support a new era in biodiversity conservation
Biodiversity conservation is vital for sustainable development, poverty alleviation, 
and a livable planet. It sustains ecosystems that support human livelihoods, particularly in developing nations, by providing essential resources like food, clean water, and climate stability. Healthy ecosystems are crucial for agriculture, fishing, and forestry, which reduce poverty and foster sustainable economic growth. Additionally, biodiversity fuels industries such as ecotourism and pharmaceuticals, generating jobs and income. Maintaining biodiversity strengthens ecosystem resilience, stabilizes climate, and mitigates climate change impacts, making it key to environmental health and global sustainability.
What middle-income countries can learn from America’s innovation system
The American model of innovation has long been the envy of the world. From the garage 
tinkerers of Silicon Valley to the research labs of prestigious universities, the United States has consistently churned out groundbreaking technologies that have reshaped industries and transformed lives. Today, the United States leads the world in the number of patents produced per person—as well as the importance of these patents.
Netherlands for the World Bank 
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