I would like to quickly summarize some of my recent activities, and preview a few events yet to
come.
My first trip since the start of the pandemic was both productive and informative in equal measure. Ahead of the in-person G7 Finance Meetings in London, I first stopped in Helsinki and Moscow for a series of good meetings.
For centuries, humans have indulged their vast curiosity by exploring and asking questions. We
focused our attention predominantly on the land as it is our home, and let our imaginations fly into the starlit sky.
As the world continues to face the public health, social, and economic unravelling due to the 
COVID-19 crisis, it should be clear that, The World Bank Group is helping developing countries purchase and distribute vaccines and strengthen health systems through a $12 billion vaccine financing facility, which complements the $6 billion Global COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Program in the health sector approved in April 2020 and that now covers more than 110 countries.
The rapid digital transformation underway in many emerging markets has the potential to have an equally transformative impact for entrepreneurs. However, critical gaps in access to the internet and mobile phones can limit the ability to work in tech-enabled jobs or to compete as entrepreneurs. This event draws on recent IFC (International Finance Corporation) research on rise of e-commerce in Africa and Southeast Asia and opportunities for further growth by exploring more inclusive practices. It will cover two key topics:
A year and a half since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economy is poised to
stage its most robust post-recession recovery in 80 years in 2021. But the rebound is expected to be uneven across countries, as major economies look set to register strong growth even as many developing economies lag.
Transport and logistics links in Africa remain costly and unreliable, especially for reaching 
remote communities. In rural areas, only about a third of Africans live within 2 kilometers of an all-weather road, and the current infrastructure investment gaps in road transport infrastructure in the region amount to billions of dollars annually. The national road density in the region remains less than a quarter of the global average. The intensifying effects of climate change and, in parts of the region, conflict and violence, further hinder the ability of governments and businesses to efficiently and reliably ensure the delivery of goods and services. These gaps also present enormous challenges to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, from health to agricultural productivity to food security.
Established in 2013, the Youth Summit is an annual event hosted by the World Bank Group 
(WBG) to engage with youth globally on the most pressing topics facing our generation. The WBG Youth Summit is an affiliate of the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) network, the largest volunteer organization at the WBG, which aims to inspire and empower youth within and outside the institution. The primary goals of the Youth Summit are to:
As preparations are made for the G7 Summit in the UK next week, top of the agenda is how to 
end the COVID-19 pandemic and secure the global recovery. Urgent challenges face us.
By now it has become abundantly clear there will be no broad-based recovery without an end to the health crisis. Access to vaccination is key to both.
Netherlands for the World Bank 
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