Conflict, COVID and climate change have combined to create unprecedented challenges for developing countries. At these Spring Meetings – taking place in the shadow of war in Ukraine – the World Bank Group will convene leaders, experts and activists to discuss the impact of these global shocks on the most vulnerable communities.
A few weeks ago, the international community agreed to a record $93 billion financing package for the world’s poorest countries. This support will be delivered through the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) over the next three years, starting in July.
We often hear that climate change disproportionately impacts the poor and the scenarios
are worrisome. For example,
Beneath this alarming headline, we know that climate-related losses will fluctuate across time and geographies. Impacts on people will be as varied and specific as household income sources and consumption patterns.
But
unless they get all children and young people back to school, keep them in class, and recover the central elements of learning, this generation could lose twice or three times that amount in earning losses.
The first impact was the millions of lives lost due to the disease caused by the COVID 19 virus. The second was the human suffering caused by job instability and poverty. The third is on children and youth who should have been in school but were told to stay at home.
September 26, 1960 marked the beginning of a new chapter in the World Bank’s history b
y introducing one of the most effective instruments in the global fight to eradicate poverty: “The International Development Association (IDA), a new international agency for financing economic growth in the less developed countries, came into being today as an affiliate of the World Bank,” read the release.
As the global economy gradually finds its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are 
reminded each day of the fragility of recovery – threatened by new variants, outbreaks, and case spikes. It’s also a recovery that is uneven and unequal. Many low- and middle-income countries continue to face high levels of transmission as well as bottlenecks to vaccination, which contribute to business activity remaining below pre-pandemic levels.
On a global scale, the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the greatest blow to families and children
in living memory. Progress in human capital – the knowledge, skills, and health that people need to achieve their potential – is being reversed.
The performance of the global food system over the last century has been extraordinary. 
, while at the same time bringing down real food prices. Over that period, all four dimensions of food security improved – availability, access, reliability and nutrient adequacy.
Climate discussions often focus on trade as a contributor to global warming. But with the right
Kitabi Tea Processing Facility in Kitabi, Rwanda
policies to encourage cleaner production and trade in climate-friendly goods and services, it can be part of the solution. Join us for a discussion on expanding this positive role in facilitating climate change mitigation and adaptation. Panelists will discuss how policymakers from low- and middle-income countries can help shape trade to address climate change policy, including potential areas for collaboration and partnerships, as well as ideas for capacity-building and technical assistance.
Netherlands for the World Bank 
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