Dryland forests in the Sahel are remarkable ecosystems that embody resilience and adaptability. Stretching across the arid landscape, iconic tree species such as Acacia, Baobab, and Shea trees stand as symbols of endurance, providing vital resources like food, medicine, and shade for both communities and livestock. These tenacious forests are not only lifelines for biodiversity but also cornerstones of local livelihoods.
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Forests and food are interconnected. As the world accelerates towards a food transition that delivers better, more sustainable outcomes for people and the planet, we must recognize that forests, woodlands, and landscapes are critical to this transition, but also to wider sustainable development goals. Investments in forests are investments in local communities, national economies, and our planet. We spoke to two of our forestry and agriculture experts on the topic.
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The most pressing global risks over the next decade are environmental—and all closely linked to water. Extreme weather, biodiversity loss, critical changes to Earth’s systems, and natural resource shortages top the list of concerns, according to the World Economic Forum Global Risk Report 2025. These risks underscore the need for long-term strategies to safeguard ecosystems, secure resources, and build resilience.
Yet, these risks do not exist in isolation. Misinformation and disinformation rank among the most pressing short-term risks, eroding trust in governance and complicating efforts to address shared crises. Water management is no exception—securing water is not just about scarcity, pollution, or infrastructure, but about governance and cooperation. The challenge lies not only in ensuring water access but in aligning efforts across users, providers, and regulators, to manage it effectively.
Continue readingTo inform the new country engagement approach, we will hold formal consultations with external stakeholders. Online consultations opened on January 16, 2025, and consultation meetings will be held in all seven operational regions of the WBG starting February. The consultations will close on March 21, 2025. The meetings will follow a hybrid format, combining in-person and virtual participation. Rethinking the Approach to WBG Country Engagement will provide the basis for consultations. To see the consultations outreach plan, click here.
Note: The approach paper is now available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a large reservoir of untapped human resources, with the world’s highest unemployment rate among youth and the lowest participation of females in the labor force. Desirable jobs, defined as high-paying or formal jobs, are few, and private employment is overwhelmingly of low added value.
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The extraordinary lack of energy in Africa–affecting about 300 million women-has profound effects on women’s economic opportunities. Women are already disproportionately affected by energy poverty, especially in rural areas. On average, women and girls spend 50 hours a week just fetching firewood, cooking, and collecting water. That’s 50 hours spent on subsistence, not on growing a business, pursuing education, or improving their health. In fact, 900 million African women and girls who lack access to clean cooking technology suffer from smoke inhalation-related diseases. That’s a huge barrier to their health, education, and economic potential.
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Two years ago, Türkiye was shaken by a series of devastating earthquakes, which claimed over 50,000 lives and caused direct damages exceeding $34 billion and associated reconstruction costs estimated at $ 81.5 billion. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, with thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and transportation networks destroyed. More than 1.5 million people were displaced, and millions face an uncertain future in the wake of the immense loss and disruption.
Continue readingA rural health center in Mateliona Betafo, Madagascar, has transformed healthcare delivery with solar-powered electricity through the World Bank-supported LEAD Project. For nearly seven years, midwives like Lovatiana Rasoarinjanahary worked under unsafe, dim conditions, relying on candles or dying phone batteries. Since June 2024, the center – one of 500 electrified by LEAD – now provides safe, well-lit care, benefiting vulnerable populations. The project improves lighting, refrigeration, and sterilization, enhancing maternal and child healthcare while supporting Madagascar’s goal to double electricity access through cost-effective, off-grid solutions. Lives and communities are brighter and safer with this innovation.
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Netherlands for the World Bank 
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