Bangladesh is working to align its labour migration governance with international standards, including ILO conventions and the 2019 General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment, to counter worker exploitation and sustain the country’s second largest foreign exchange source. The 2025 edition of Labour Migration in Asia: Fair Recruitment, Training, and Development notes progress in… [Read More]
World Bank
Mozambique Study Reveals How Aspirations and Gender Norms Shape Girls and Women
The research note A Girl Can Dream: Analyzing Aspirations, Gender Norms, and Influencers Among Girls and Women in Mozambique explores the hopes and ambitions of adolescent girls and young women in Mozambique. It examines the barriers they face in pursuing their dreams, including social norms and relationships that shape their life choices, and provides insights… [Read More]
Central African Republic Focuses on National Wealth for Sustainable Growth
After two years of weak growth, the Central African Republic is showing signs of a moderate economic recovery, with growth estimated at 1.5% in 2024, according to a recent World Bank report. This improvement is driven by stable agricultural production, progress in agribusiness, and sustained performance in tertiary activities, supported by enhanced energy supply toward… [Read More]
New World Bank Initiative to Modernize Indonesia’s Power Grid and Expand Access
The World Bank has approved the Indonesia Electricity Network Transformation (I-ENET) Program, a US$500 million initiative aimed at modernizing the electricity distribution system in the Java, Madura, and Bali regions. The program will support Indonesia’s energy sector development by expanding renewable energy integration and accelerating the digital transformation of the electricity grid, aligning with the… [Read More]
Strengthening Guatemala’s Resilience to Disasters: World Bank Support
The World Bank’s Executive Board has approved a project aimed at enhancing Guatemala’s resilience to natural hazards and extreme climate events. The initiative focuses on strengthening institutional capacity to manage risks and protect vulnerable groups, including women heading households, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and communities living in informal settlements. The project targets areas highly… [Read More]
PEACE Project Overview: Essential Facts and Highlights
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the World Bank has collaborated with international partners to provide fast, targeted, and predictable financial support to help the Ukrainian government sustain essential public services for nearly 16 million citizens. The Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance (PEACE) Project funds salaries for civilian government employees, teachers, health… [Read More]
Revolutionizing NCD Care: How Primary Health Care Can Boost Prevention and Treatment – PAHO
At a high-level side event during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joined health ministers, global financial institutions, and strategic partners to advocate for expanding primary health care (PHC) as the foundation for addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which remain the leading cause of death globally. Co-hosted by the Governments… [Read More]
UK Approves Direct Funding to Africa CDC After Successful Due Diligence Review
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has reached a historic milestone with the United Kingdom formally approving direct funding following nearly a year-long Due Diligence Assessment. This approval signals renewed confidence in Africa CDC’s strengthened fiduciary and governance systems and marks a new era of direct collaboration between the UK and… [Read More]
Cambodia Microfinance Practices Threaten Indigenous Communities, Report Finds
A recent Human Rights Watch report highlights that Cambodian microfinance institutions (MFIs), backed by international investors, have been aggressively lending to Indigenous communities, using the value of their land as collateral. These predatory lending practices have resulted in coerced land sales, over-indebtedness, debt-driven suicides, and severe violations of the economic, cultural, and social rights of… [Read More]
Nigeria Hosts FAO Hand-in-Hand Forum to Boost Agricultural Transformation in West Africa and the Sahel
The Government of Nigeria hosted a high-level National and Subregional investment forum from 16 to 18 September 2025 in Abuja, focusing on unlocking investment opportunities in irrigation and agricultural value chains across West Africa and the Sahel. Convened under the Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative and organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations… [Read More]
Riyadh Hosts New World Bank Regional Hub for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan
The World Bank has inaugurated a new regional hub in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to serve the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (MENAAP) region. This hub is co-located with the World Bank Group’s Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional office, bringing the Bank’s leadership closer to country teams, clients, and regional partners. The relocation of… [Read More]
Tajikistan’s Poverty Decline: Job Creation and Inequality Remain Pressing Challenges
Tajikistan has made significant strides in reducing poverty over the past decade, according to a new World Bank report. The national poverty rate fell from 56% in 2010 to around 20% in 2024, while the middle class grew more than fourfold, from 8% to 33% of the population. Between 2021 and 2023, approximately 35% of… [Read More]
Container Port Performance Index 2020–2024: Key Trends and Insights
Container ports play a pivotal role in global supply chains, managing the flow of merchandise and semi-finished products. The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) tracks the time container ships spend in port, providing stakeholders with a key benchmark for operational efficiency and sustainable port development. Efficient port operations not only reduce logistics costs but also… [Read More]
Zambia Expands Employment Opportunities with World Bank Digital Access Initiative
The World Bank Group has approved the Digital Zambia Acceleration Project (DZAP) to support the Zambian government in expanding access to the internet and digitally enabled services, with a particular focus on promoting inclusive digital participation. The project aims to empower women and girls, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities by enhancing their access… [Read More]
World Bank Boosts Support for Argentina’s Economic Growth and Development Agenda
The World Bank Group has announced an accelerated support package for Argentina, aiming to deploy up to US$4 billion over the coming months to advance the country’s reform agenda and long-term growth strategy. This initiative combines public-sector financing with private-sector investment and mobilization to bolster key sectors that drive competitiveness. The support will focus on… [Read More]
Republic of Congo Economic Outlook 2025: Boosting Living Standards through Better Capital Management
The Congolese economy achieved modest real GDP growth of 2.6% in 2024, marking a slight increase in per capita income for the first time since 2016. Despite this progress, the World Bank’s latest Economic Update for the Republic of Congo notes that these gains have yet to translate into a meaningful reduction in poverty. The… [Read More]
Pakistan Urged to Implement Bold, People-Centered Reforms to Tackle Poverty and Protect Vulnerable Communities
The World Bank has released “Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity: Pakistan’s Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment,” the first comprehensive evaluation of poverty and welfare trends in Pakistan since the early 2000s. The report shows that after a steady decline in poverty from 64.3% in 2001-02 to 21.9% in 2018-19, the national poverty rate began rising in… [Read More]
Türkiye’s Energy-Efficient Buildings Boost Savings and Enhance Quality of Life
Türkiye is taking decisive steps to enhance energy efficiency in response to a growing economy and rising energy demand, aiming to reduce reliance on imports and cut harmful emissions. Energy-saving measures are being implemented across public hospitals, schools, and government offices, including improved insulation, efficient heating and cooling systems, LED lighting, and solar panels. Supported… [Read More]
Morocco Sees Rapid Rise in Preschool Enrollment as Education Reforms Take Effect
In 2018, Morocco set a national goal to achieve universal preschool access for children aged 4 to 5 by 2028, prioritizing rural and disadvantaged communities with limited access to early learning. Over the six years since the initiative began, preschool enrollment surged from 45% to 80% nationally and from 33% to 91% in rural areas,… [Read More]
17 Countries Pledge Concrete Plans to Expand Electricity Access as Mission 300 Grows
Seventeen African governments have committed to reforms and actionable plans to expand electricity access as part of Mission 300, a partnership led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group aiming to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. The pledges were made at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum, where national… [Read More]
Over 650,000 Zambians to Gain from World Bank Support for Sustainable Natural Resource Management
The World Bank is expanding its support for Zambia’s watershed management and forest conservation through the second phase of the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD II) project. The initiative aims to sustainably manage over 680,000 hectares of land and enhance livelihood resilience for more than 650,000 people in vulnerable communities within Zambia’s Miombo… [Read More]
World Bank: Pakistan’s Poverty Rate Rises to 25.3% After Years of Decline
Pakistan’s long-term progress in reducing poverty has reversed in recent years, with the national poverty rate rising to 25.3 percent in 2023-24 after steadily declining for nearly two decades. According to the World Bank’s latest assessment, Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity: Pakistan’s Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment, this marks a significant setback after poverty had fallen… [Read More]
African Development Bank Trains East African Finance Experts to Boost Service Delivery
The African Development Bank Group’s Fiduciary and Inspection Department, in partnership with the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Secretariat of the World Bank, organized a flagship training on the PEFA framework for public financial management (PFM) experts in Eastern Africa. Held from 16 to 18 September 2025, the program brought together more than 60… [Read More]
