Remittance flows are a major source of income for all countries in South Asia, larger than all 
other capital inflows combined. Remittances seem to have been even more essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing by 5.2 percent in 2020 in South Asia. But this was somewhat surprising because household surveys globally showed remittances falling, especially in the second quarter of 2020.
The global economy is booming—or so it might seem. 
This year is likely to mark the strongest post-recession rebound in 80 years: global GDP is expected to expand 5.6 percent. Almost all advanced economies will go back to their pre-pandemic per-capita income levels in 2022. In some parts of the world, clearly, the pandemic’s damage is being repaired quickly.
Over a year into the pandemic, we have witnessed how a sweeping infectious disease and 
lockdown measures quickly deepened inequalities, hindering the progress that many have fought for years to achieve. One of the most striking examples is the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women.
The obstruction of the Suez Canal earlier this year served as a vivid reminder of the importance
of maritime transport for economies around the globe. The blockage was resolved within a matter of days, but a much more existential challenge remains for the shipping industry.
This blog is part of a series on digital safeguards and enablers for COVID-19 vaccine delivery.
Countries around the world are developing and executing national plans for COVID-19 vaccine delivery, balancing short-term goals — accelerated mass vaccination to reach herd immunity — with efforts to strengthen long-term health systems. Many, if not all, will be using digital technologies to face the scale and complexity of accelerated mass vaccination administration. Their intended users will need to be equipped with the right digital skills if these digital tools and platforms are to be successful. Likewise, the public health ecosystem needs to acquire the capabilities to develop, operate, maintain, and sustain the underlying databases, services, systems, and infrastructure necessary for the tools to work correctly.
Protectionism is on the rise in many parts of the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic is only 
partly to blame. This is hardly a new phenomenon. When I was Indonesia’s trade minister a decade ago, trade liberalization certainly did not have broad popular support.
More than a year into the pandemic, there is still much we don’t know concerning its impact on global poverty. Though high-frequency phone surveys have helped gain a broad understanding of the economic consequences of the pandemic, the collection of detailed, household surveys needed to understand its impact on poverty has largely been put on hold. While awaiting household surveys, we continue our previous approach of trying to understand the poverty consequences of the pandemic by extrapolating the income and consumption from past household surveys using national accounts growth forecasts. Simple as it is, this method generally outperforms more complicated methods in nowcasting poverty.
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2021 – The Boards of Directors of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) have approved a new policy for the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the independent accountability mechanism of IFC and MIGA. The Independent Accountability Mechanism (CAO) Policy, which becomes effective today, improves effectiveness of the complaints process in projects supported by IFC and MIGA, with an increased focus on outcomes for communities and IFC/MIGA clients, and responds to recommendations from an independent external review.
As a physician, I know firsthand the important role that primary health care plays in the health of
individuals, families, and communities. When it works well, it is the foundation of a good life and a thriving national health care system. When it is weak, people suffer.
