The impacts of chemical pollution indicate the sounding of yet another alarm bell, reminding us that we cannot simply develop now and clean up later. Learn about what can be done to improve the…

Richard Damania, Ernesto Sanchez-Triana, Johannes Heister |

On May 15 this year, we were in Baghdad on what was a very special day for 350 primary education children. We had traveled north of the city with the World Bank education team for the opening…

Jaime Saavedra, Elisabeth Sedmik |

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 V. 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 |

On July 28, 2022, temperatures in Baghdad reached a blistering 51.8°C (125.2F) – the hottest day Iraq has ever recorded. Such extreme weather events are bound to become more frequent in Iraq and…

Mounir Mahmalat, Ali Ahmad |

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 |

Digital investments in government operations not only make them more efficient, but they also increase preparedness for emergencies, whether related to public health, climate, fragility, or trade…

Nadir Mohammed, Jens Kromann Kristensen, Emily Kallaur, Stephen Davenport |

Women of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have outperformed many other regions in terms of life expectancy, infant mortality, and tertiary education. Their performance in education has, in…

Ferid Belhaj, Paul Noumba Um, Muneeza Mehmood Alam |

For decades, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have benefited from abundant natural resources, including oil and gas. But the region is not rich in all resources. In…

Harris Selod, Anna Corsi |

As we commemorate the International Day of Education this month, the 2023 theme “to invest in people, prioritize education” – it is all the more crucial for the countries of the Middle East and…

Ferid Belhaj |