Blog about how the global crises and uncertainty are testing the economic resilience of the Western Balkans. And what the governments across the region should consider in order to build greater…

Sanja Madzarevic-Sujster, Richard Record, Natasha Rovo |

Just as the economies of the Western Balkans were looking to sustain a recovery from the shock of COVID-19, the region now faces a new combination of challenges. The war in Ukraine, the resulting…

Sanja Madzarevic-Sujster, Richard Record |

This  World Bank’s Policy Research Working Paper Series introduces 6 papers published from March 1 to March 15 on various topics, including taxation, gender, and wildfire smokes.

Marcelo Buitron, Policy Research Working Paper team |

Concerns over lost business, unemployment, and slower economic growth from a tax on sugary drinks in Kazakhstan are overblown and have little evidence to support them.

Jean-François Marteau, Kate Mandeville, Lynn Silver |

For the Central Asia region, which is so commodity and remittance dependent, economic output will likely contract by 1.7 percent in 2020, according to the latest Economic Update for Europe and…

Lilia Burunciuc, Ivailo Izvorski |

With every calamity comes an opportunity: to rebound and rebuild stronger than before. The economies of Central Asia faced such an opportunity following the major economic shock they experienced…

Lilia Burunciuc |

Continuing with our series looking at the 25 year partnership between Mongolia and the World Bank, today we look at 2008, a year that will be remembered by many Mongolians for events both high and…

Erdene-Ochir Badarch |

Volatility in financial markets gets wide attention in the public eye. Less noticed is what we in the development world call macroeconomic volatility—faster-than-desired swings in the broad forces…

Francisco G. Carneiro, Ha Minh Nguyen, Rei Odawara |

Also available in: Français | العربية   A boat trip from Port Elizabeth to Kingstown, in the Caribbean country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, is a one-hour trip that locals take several…

Valerie Lorena |