Zimbabwe’s services exports are dominated by tourism and transport; largely missing are higher value services such as telecommunications, finance, and business process outsourcing and should be…

Mike Nyawo, Stella Ilieva, Marko Kwaramba |

Kazakhstani banks aren’t moving decisively enough to greener lending—lending that supports environmentally friendly activities. Part two of our blog series - Banking the transition to net zero…

Ismael Ahmad Fontan, Ganbaatar Jambal, Martin Melecky |

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 |

Private sector-led development can act as a complimentary force supporting long-term, sustainable economic growth. Private sector development (PSD) can not only help reverse the economic impact of…

Tania Ghossein, Ahmed Nauraiz Rana |

To discuss Intra-African trade, one must consider its informality, the small size of the traders, and the important role of women. Yet women traders face challenges in the form of tariff and non-…

Mila Malavoloneque, Ankur Huria |

Yemen faces multiple challenges, including conflict, displacement, and economic instability. These challenges have disproportionately affected women, limiting their access to economic…

Federica Ranghieri, Fayyaz Ahmad Faiz-Rasul |

This blog is a biweekly feature highlighting recent working papers from around the World Bank Group. This entry introduces 6 papers published from February 16 to 28 on various topics, including…

Marcelo Buitron, Policy Research Working Paper team |

Trade is still contributing to recovery and growth. Countries and firms integrated into global value chains have been more resilient to shocks and have recovered faster, and trade in services…

Mari Elka Pangestu |

For the first time, African countries will be able to undertake a sector- and measure-specific dialogue with their stakeholders and examine whether there are less trade-distortive ways to pursue…

Roberto Echandi |

As Sri Lanka recovers, it is essential not only to help people escape poverty and vulnerability, but also to strengthen their resilience to future shocks in an increasingly volatile world.

Martin Raiser |