The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved an innovative financing operation for Panama aimed at strengthening fiscal sustainability while facilitating the mobilization of private investment to support economic growth and job creation. By combining multiple World Bank Group instruments, the operation is designed to improve public financial management and enhance investor confidence in… [Read More]
World Bank
World Bank Supports Climate-Resilient Rural Development and Job Creation for Family Farmers in Paraíba
The World Bank has approved the Paraíba Sustainable Rural Development Project – Phase II to promote more inclusive and climate-resilient growth in rural areas of Paraíba, in Brazil’s Northeast. The project aims to help family farmers increase their incomes, strengthen their resilience to climate shocks, and gain improved access to infrastructure and essential rural services,… [Read More]
How Community Empowerment Drives Sustainable Poverty Reduction
In Villa Rosario, Talugtug, Nueva Ecija, residents once relied on hand pumps that provided rusty, mud-tasting water, causing widespread illness from diarrhea and vomiting. Community members, with financial and technical support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), decided to prioritize and construct their own water supply system, ensuring safe and clean water… [Read More]
Sri Lanka and World Bank Collaborate to Boost Digital Services and Economic Growth
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a $50 million project to support Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, aiming to modernize government services, enhance accessibility, and make public services more responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses. The initiative will promote innovation and investment in the country’s digital sector while strengthening the foundations for… [Read More]
IFC Investment in Scotiabank Mexico Boosts Housing Finance Access for Women
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced an investment of up to US$250 million in Scotiabank Mexico to expand access to housing finance for women. The initiative aims to address Mexico’s significant housing deficit while reducing the gender gap in mortgage access, supporting broader economic growth and social… [Read More]
Indonesia Receives World Bank Support to Improve Solid Waste Management Systems
The World Bank has approved a US$350 million Local Service Delivery Improvement Project (LSDP) in Indonesia, aiming to provide cleaner and healthier environments for over 15 million people while better protecting 10 million from climate risks. The project will enhance solid waste services and infrastructure, create stable green jobs, reduce methane emissions, and promote a… [Read More]
Mexico Secures $500 Million World Bank Guarantee to Attract Private Sector Investment in Infrastructure
The World Bank’s Executive Board has approved a credit enhancement instrument of up to US$500 million to help mobilize large-scale private capital for sustainable and resilient transport infrastructure in Mexico. This initiative is expected to boost employment, improve connectivity, and accelerate economic growth, supporting the Government of Mexico’s implementation of Plan México. Banco Nacional de… [Read More]
Morocco Receives World Bank Grant to Promote Climate-Resilient Farming and Secure Food Systems
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a $4 million grant from the Livable Planet Fund to Morocco, supplementing the $250 million initially approved in December 2024 for the Transforming Agri-food Systems Program. The program is designed to strengthen Morocco’s agri-food system against climate change while enhancing food safety and quality. The additional financing… [Read More]
Finland Commits Support for Africa’s Sustainable Economic Growth via African Development Fund
Finland will participate in the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund (AfDF-17) to support sustainable economic growth and development in the continent’s poorest countries. The AfDF aims to reduce poverty by promoting economic and social development, financing climate-resilient infrastructure, strengthening administrative capacity, and supporting reforms that improve domestic revenue systems. Finland will contribute EUR… [Read More]
World Bank Backs Reforms to Strengthen Montenegro’s Fisheries and Agrifood Industry
The World Bank has approved a €33 million loan to Montenegro to strengthen its fisheries and agrifood sector, recognizing these industries as vital to the country’s economic development, rural livelihoods, and progress toward European Union accession. The financing will support improved service delivery, upgraded infrastructure, and stronger compliance with EU standards, helping Montenegro build a… [Read More]
Indonesia’s Economy Shows Strong Resilience Amid Ongoing Global Uncertainty
Indonesia’s economy recorded solid growth of 5.0 percent during the first nine months of 2025 and is expected to sustain a similar pace through 2026 and 2027, supported by robust investment levels and strong net exports. This performance reflects the country’s continued macroeconomic stability despite a challenging global environment. According to the World Bank’s Indonesia… [Read More]
USD 1 Million Grant from Coca-Cola Foundation to Strengthen Caribbean Plastic Recycling
The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded funding to the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) to support the Caribbean Plastics Recycling Project, a regional initiative aimed at expanding plastic waste collection and strengthening recycling systems across the Caribbean. This investment comes at a crucial time, as Caribbean nations grapple with rising waste management costs, growing plastic pollution,… [Read More]
UK Shifts Strategy in Africa: Introducing the “From Donor to Investor” Programme
The United Kingdom has unveiled a modernised approach to its relationship with African countries, moving from a traditional aid-focused model to one centred on partnership, investment, and shared reform. Delivered by the new Minister for Development and Africa, the address emphasised the need for long-term, mutually beneficial relationships that reflect Africa’s diversity and leadership, rather… [Read More]
Promoting Health Equity: Angola Advances Financial Protection for UHC
On 12 December 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) marked Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day in Luanda under the theme “Financial Protection for Universal Health Coverage.” In collaboration with the Private University of Angola (UPRA), the initiative highlighted pathways to financial protection in accessing health services and emphasized the importance of sustaining policy commitments to… [Read More]
REMIT PRIME Programme in Tajikistan Strengthened by IFAD and Bank Arvand Support
On 17 December 2025, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Bank Arvand signed a grant agreement to invest approximately €445,000 in the REMIT PRIME Central Asia Programme, an initiative aimed at helping rural communities in Tajikistan transform remittance flows from relatives abroad into sustainable economic opportunities. The REMIT PRIME Programme brings together IFAD,… [Read More]
World Bank Endorses Kiribati Reforms for Financial Transparency, Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Employment Growth
Kiribati is set to strengthen public finances, improve essential service delivery, and boost climate resilience through a new package of reforms supported by the World Bank. The programme focuses on enhancing budget transparency, improving tax efficiency, strengthening state-owned enterprises, promoting cleaner communities, and ensuring safer housing suited to a changing climate. A core element of… [Read More]
Libya Needs Structural Reforms to Sustain Growth and Strengthen Public Financial Management
Libya’s economy recorded a strong rebound during the first nine months of 2025, driven primarily by the recovery and expansion of the oil sector, according to the latest World Bank Libya Economic Monitor. Real GDP is projected to grow by 13.3 percent in 2025, supported by a 17.4 percent increase in oil sector activity, while… [Read More]
World Bank Unveils New Report on Sustainable Future of Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta
A new World Bank report titled “Living or Leaving: Life in the Mekong Delta Region of Viet Nam” finds that growing environmental stress and economic pressures are fundamentally reshaping the Mekong Delta and calls for a people-centered development strategy to protect livelihoods and sustain long-term growth. Based on updated household and labor market data, the… [Read More]
Syria at a Crossroads: Humanitarian and Economic Challenges One Year Post-Transition
One year after Syria’s political transition on 8 December 2024, the country faces a fragile and uncertain path. While violence has decreased and over one million Syrians have returned to their homes, the scale of humanitarian need remains immense. Families are attempting to rebuild in towns scarred by conflict, yet essential services such as water,… [Read More]
Enhanced Health, Education, and Social Services in Salvador Backed by World Bank Financing
The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a new operation to expand access to quality health, education, and social assistance services in Salvador, a major municipality in Brazil’s northeastern State of Bahia. The Salvador Social III Program is expected to directly benefit 1.7 million residents relying on the public health system, 104,000 students in… [Read More]
Piauí Receives World Bank Backing for Fiscal Reform and Economic Development
The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a new operation to strengthen fiscal sustainability and promote economic development in the State of Piauí, Brazil. This Development Policy Financing (DPF) aims to support reforms that enhance the quality of public expenditure and expand private sector participation in water and land resources management, key sectors for… [Read More]
World Bank and GEF Launch Next Phase of Sustainable Cities Integrated Program
The World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have launched the next phase of the Sustainable Cities Integrated Program, expanding support to 40 additional cities across 20 countries. Announced in Rio de Janeiro ahead of COP30, the new phase will provide $170 million in grant financing under the GEF-8 cycle, alongside structured pathways to… [Read More]
AfDB Targets $25 Billion Funding Push to Maintain Affordable Lending Amid Reduced US Engagement
The African Development Bank has launched a donor-pledging conference to secure funding for the African Development Fund, which provides concessional loans and grants to low-income African countries, as it seeks to meet a $25 billion replenishment target amid reduced U.S. support. The move comes after the U.S. administration withheld a $197 million tranche pledged in… [Read More]
