The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating impact on public health, societies, and 
economies around the world: it could push up to 150 million people into extreme poverty by the end of 2021. Countries cannot recover until all their people can live their lives with confidence.
Tag Archives: Countries
Debt Service Suspension Initiative could save countries around $12 billion
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, developing economies have suffered unprecedented capital outflows. The World Bank Group has created a virtual one-stop for the latest information about Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). It highlights the potential savings for each eligible country—both in dollar terms and as a percentage of GDP. Explore the data!
Poorest, most vulnerable countries likely to be hit hardest from coronavirus
World Bank Group teams around the world remain focused on country-level and regional solutions to address the ongoing crisis. In this piece, President David Malpass highlights the progress the Bank Group has made in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Related: The World Bank’s Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, Mari Pangestu, shares her thoughts on how the world’s poorest will face the pandemic. The fight against COVID-19 requires concerted international effort, she wrote. “Going it alone will hurt the poorest and most vulnerable countries.”
Is the world on track to deliver energy access for all?
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Countries need to accelerate progress on access to electrification, clean cooking, renewables and energy efficiency to meet Sustainable Development Goal #7, according to a new report
- 674 million people, or 8% of the world’s population, will still be in the dark in 2030 if current trends of electrification continue
- An estimated 2.3 billion people will continue to cook by burning wood and coal in 2030, which poses major health risks
