In the past decade, the GCC countries have made a number of steps towards improving women’s access to education, health care, and employment, as well as encouraging women to participate in…

Corredor Seco, Honduras. Copyright: Angels Maso. World Bank.  A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit the "Federico Boquín" water treatment plant and dam in Tegucigalpa, one of…

Photo: Drusany/Shutterstock The 2018 World Cup brought fame to the Croatian team, with many fans around the world – including the author of this blog - rooting for the team in white-and-red…

At the World Bank, we know that social inclusion is not only the right thing but also the economically smart thing to do. More inclusive societies are more likely to make the most of their entire…

A massive storm system brought historic flooding across South Eastern Europe in 2014, causing more than $2 billion in damages in Bosnia and Herzegovina and shrinking Serbia’s economy by nearly a…

Market conduct supervisors in the financial sector have a tough job. And it’s getting tougher.   Their core work involves collecting data from disparate sources and undertaking complex analyses to…

It is well established in the economic literature that it’s the rich who benefit from the lion’s share of energy subsidies. Yet, it is often the poor and vulnerable who protest loudly against…

Photo: HAC/Croatian Motorways The state of Croatia’s road sector poses a unique challenge compared with more typical World Bank projects where road assets either need to be developed or require…

Tim Cordell, Cartoonstock.com We know that the justice system dampens the business climate in many of the countries where we work. In Bank reports, national strategies, and in common parlance, we…