The impacts of COVID-19 and consequent supply chain disruptions have driven some companies to bring supply chains closer to production. The global automotive industry is an example. This is an…

Niharika Sachdeva, Fernando Blanco, Emmanuel Pouliquen, Turhan Semizer |

To protect vulnerable populations and promote economic growth, policymakers in the Western Balkans should take into account the heterogeneity of inflation rates experienced by different households…

Anna Fruttero, Leonardo Lucchetti, Carlos Ospino, Zurab Sajaia |

For the Western Balkan countries, aspirations to join the EU mean urgency to align with the bloc’s climate and environmental policy acquis. All six countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,…

Anita Hafner, Marissa Santikarn |

The Balkans often evoke images of conflict and fragmentation. But on the digital front, countries across Southeast Europe are working together to build robust broadband network connecting millions…

Natalija Gelvanovska-Garcia |

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 |

The Western Balkan countries need to remain vigilant about the impact of climate change on their financial sectors by prioritizing green taxonomies, promoting prudential management of climate and…

Jane Hwang, Ismael Ahmad Fontan, Alper Oguz, Vahe Vardanyan |

This blog highlights two studies from past World Bank's Knowledge for Change Program (KCP)-supported research that demonstrate the importance of a data-driven and evidence-based approach to…

Kerina Wang, Lauren Nicole Core, KCP Program Management Unit (KCP PMU) |

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 |

Over the decades, the question of who participates in and who is excluded from participation mediated by technology has been the focus of both civic tech critics and proponents. This paper…

Tiago Carneiro Peixoto, Jonathan Mellon, Fredrik Sjoberg |

The 4th World Bank Tax Conference exposed the magnitude of the challenge to build equitable tax systems via policies that improve compliance of the very wealthy. This blog highlights a summary of…

Pierre Bachas, Chiara Bronchi, Thiago Scot, Claudia Vargas |