When conflicts end, the tragic impact of lives lost, damages, and the countless needs of people left in its wake are overwhelmingly visible. There are also other long-lasting and damaging…

A.S. Harinath, Ahmed Ali |

The Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership, a World Bank-Japan initiative providing grant support for incorporating the G20 QII Principles, kick-starts infrastructure investments…

Naomitsu Nakagawa |

The 28th Conference of the Parties, better known as (COP28) concluded in Dubai  in December with a major agreement by 198 Parties, marking a new era of climate action. Several notable commitments…

Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali, Syed Adeel Abbas |

Our common future depends on water. We need water to eradicate poverty, promote green growth, and build more equitable societies. But climate change is exacerbating water scarcity and pollution,…

Saroj Kumar Jha |

As we marked World Poverty Day on October 17th, a blog published recently by World Bank staff highlights that poverty has finally receded to pre-COVID pandemic levels, which in essence means we…

Nadir Mohammed, Laura Moreno Herrera, Salman Zaidi |

Across the MENA region, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) play a major role in countries’ economies and in the delivery of essential services to the public. As a result of a comprehensive desk review…

Nazaneen Ismail Ali, Jocelyne Jabbour, Simeon Sahaydachny |

Most workers in developing countries are in informal employment-- that is, a job that does not come with social security benefits and leaving them with limited means to manage risks to their…

Nadir Mohammed, Roberta Gatti, Marco Ranzani, Gladys Lopez-Acevedo, Nistha Sinha, Adam Elsheikhi |

Gender equality and fair treatment of women and girls is a moral imperative, but global data analytics, evidence and experience clearly demonstrate that including women also fosters economic…

Christopher Stephens |

While PPPs provide an important tool for governments, they are sensitive to economic ups and downs. A new World Bank study shows a sound and practical Fiscal Commitment and Contingent Liabilities…

Marcel van den Broek, Hulya Pasaogullari, Mikel Tejada Ibañez, Elena Timusheva |

The recent United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, has raised the prominence of climate action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)…

Asif Islam, Dalal Moosa, Federica Saliola |