The World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings concluded Sunday, having brought renewed attention to the impact of the food crisis, challenges facing conflict-affected states, and progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, among other issues.
In case you missed one of the many announcements or discussions held over the last two weeks, here are a few highlights:
• In the run-up to the meetings, World Bank President Robert Zoellick spoke about ‘A New Social Contract for Development’ in the Middle East and North Africa.
• The Open Forum on the Food Crisis – a live panel discussion, webcast and online chat–attracted thousands of online participants who offered their ideas to ‘put food first’ for the world’s one billion hungry people.
• The Bank’s latest Food Price Watch warned that global food prices had risen 36% above their levels a year ago.
• World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced the winners of the Bank’s first-ever ‘Apps for Development’ competition. The winning entry allows visualization of development indicators using charts and maps.
• The Global Monitoring Report found that two-thirds of developing countries are on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal targets for tackling extreme poverty and hunger.
• The 2011 World Development Report called for greater focus on citizen security, justice and jobs to help 1.5 billion people affected by political and criminal violence.
• Law enforcement authorities endorsed a declaration of principles to counter global corruption.
• In its April 16 communiqué, the Development Committee of the World Bank and IMF said food prices remain a top concern and noted recent events in the Middle East will have lasting impact.
For more, scroll back through the many blog posts we’ve featured during the meetings, including those on agriculture’s link to jobs in Africa, Bangladesh’s efforts to map climate change and food security, and Bank results in stamping out corruption.
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