COVID-19: The path ahead for developing countries

PLUS: Changing lives: How development starts with people.

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'We're moving to the next stage' Over the past three months, the World Bank Group has mounted the fastest crisis response in its history. We are now financing emergency operations in over 100 countries – home to 70% of the global population. In this virtual interview, David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the path ahead for developing countries. What will a robust and resilient recovery look like? How can we promote economic growth, support the poorest, and sustain businesses and jobs? Watch the replay. Transport survival: COVID-19 has struck a massive blow to public transport in India. The bus industry alone is losing nearly $7 billion monthly. What can states do to ensure its financial survival? Reopening economy: The World Bank, in collaboration with the government of Colombia, is developing a prototype dashboard that helps policy makers on a near real-time basis monitor the interplay of virus spread, health sector readiness to address new clusters of infections, and the readiness of economic sectors to operate safely. How does this dashboard work? Tech matters: Efforts to develop, deploy, and sustain IT systems during "normal" times are paying off in the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling governments to adapt quickly and provide solutions needed as part of the response. Even when things don't go as smoothly as planned, governments that have been consistently developing and improving digital services are responding to the COVID-19 emergency better. Related: In Croatia, investing in information technology and digital competencies of students and teachers paid off during the pandemic. Learn how. Beating unemployment: Brazil was grappling with 12 percent unemployment before COVID-19 and some forecasts suggest that figure may double. This company matches those unemployed due to the pandemic with new jobs. Not essential ever! Initial evidence suggests smoking is also a risk factor for COVID-19. Besides monitoring smoking and e-cigarette use, governments have an obligation to address smoking in their strategies to contain and mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Go deeper: Learn how the World Bank Group is responding to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Explore our multilingual portal. Click, bookmark and come back for updates.

Delivering results, changing lives: How development starts with people Seeing projects on the ground transforming lives and communities. That's what inspires us, drives us and fulfills us. Our latest series of #ChangingLives focuses on what happens after our projects are completed – what difference did it make to the people who needed help most?   How a data-driven Nepal can deliver to all With the help of the World Bank, the Nepal Data Literacy Program sustainably transfers data literacy skills to professionals in Nepal, who can then proactively engage in evidence-based policy making, increase data literacy of Nepalis and support federalism in the country.

Blogs

In Niger, a 'crazy idea' to restore degraded land pays off "Niger is at the frontline of climate change and desertification—at least 100,000 hectares of agricultural land is lost each year. To help ensure food security, the government seeks to build on successes like this project to restore 3.2 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Scaled-up investments and partnerships are needed to achieve this ambitious goal." - Mirko Serkovic, May 22

Virtual Events

Upcoming: Coronavirus live series: How can we reduce the risk of corruption during the pandemic response? Emerging lessons from the immediate response to the pandemic point to the need to adapt models of government operations, service delivery, and interactions with citizens. Join us live as we discuss these issues with Edward Olowo-Okere, Global Director for Governance at the World Bank.

In the News

Vietnam's Development Strategy for Next Decade Must Put Productivity Growth Front and Center: Report World Bank's Mission Billion Challenge Calls for Innovation to Strengthen Inclusion and Empower the World's Invisible Billion

Social Media

Over 30,000 producers are benefiting from this agricultural project and 40% are female farmers! Discover how this is #ChangingLives in #Haiti: http://wrld.bg/BnQN30qF6WO

The #locustcrisis is hitting food systems that employ & feed millions of people in #Africa. New US$ 500 million @WorldBank program will help farmers recover livelihoods: http://wrld.bg/K1Nj50zN4TR

Data Chart Healthy ecosystems have been shown to provide a lifeline to the poorest. The Poverty Environment Network project that collects income data of forest adjacent communities from 24 countries, estimates that environmental income (most of it from the forest) represents 28 percent of total income of these households (Angelsen et al, 2014). Read More>>

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