The village of Phailom is situated about an hour’s drive outside the capital, Vientiane. In recent years village’s network of talented woodworking artisans have become renowned suppliers of souvenirs to tourists wishing to remember their visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. 

Among these artisans is Vorachith Keoxayayong, who has been continuing this village’s long tradition of wood sculpture since he was a child.  

His art is not just a hobby, however. His company, Vorachith Wood Carving, employees 23 people – providing meaningful and sustainable employment in his community.  Small enterprises, like his, as well as medium-sized enterprises account for more than 80 percent of employment and some 94 percent of all registered firms in Lao PDR, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau. 

With the onset of COVID-19 and decreased tourism, the artisans of Phailom — like other...

Give us 20 minutes, and we’ll take you on a journey around the world of international development in this flagship podcast from the World Bank Group. Everyday World Bank researchers and staffers are working to address the biggest international problems – everything from poverty to climate change, education to nutrition, and a whole lot more. Through conversations focused on revealing the latest data, the best research, and the solutions making the world a better place, let hosts Paul Blake and Raka Banerjee introduce you to the folks working to make the world a better place.

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The event brought together ministers, CEOs, young leaders and civil society representatives to discuss solutions and the priorities for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November.

Solutions are most urgently needed in developing countries, where the investment gap is deepest and people are most disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

“To deliver impact, the [World Bank Group] will prioritize transitions and key systems, use its convening power to support a just transition out of coal, and …  become aligned with the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement,” said World Bank Group President David Malpass.

Already the largest multilateral provider of climate finance for developing countries, the Bank Group will increase climate finance to 35% of overall financing under a new Climate Change Action Plan.

Green and inclusive recoveries

Supporting countries to prepare for and invest in low-carbon,...

The village of Phailom is situated about an hour’s drive outside the capital, Vientiane. In recent years village’s network of talented woodworking artisans have become renowned suppliers of souvenirs to tourists wishing to remember their visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. 

Among these artisans is Vorachith Keoxayayong, who has been continuing this village’s long tradition of wood sculpture since he was a child.  

His art is not just a hobby, however. His company, Vorachith Wood Carving, employees 23 people – providing meaningful and sustainable employment in his community.  Small enterprises, like his, as well as medium-sized enterprises account for more than 80 percent of employment and some 94 percent of all registered firms in Lao PDR, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau. 

With the onset of COVID-19 and decreased tourism, the artisans of Phailom — like other...

In this podcast series, host Roumeen Islam of the World Bank chats with global experts on how countries can put policies in place to raise standards of living—sustainably. How do you get people to cooperate when needed, while they compete and innovate? How do technology and policy work together for better lives—both richer and more equitable? Find out how! Subscribe to Tell Me How: The Infrastructure Podcast Series and get insights you can act on.

Listen for free on your favorite platforms: Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and Spotify

While production cuts by OPEC and its partners (OPEC+) have been critical in supporting oil prices, the resulting large quantity of spare production capacity will limit price increases over the forecast horizon. In addition, if pandemic containment falters, a further weakening in demand could put pressure on the production cut agreement. A breakup of the agreement could result in markedly lower oil prices.  

The Global Boardroom returns for its third edition to discuss the practical steps governments, business and finance can take to build a resilient, sustainable recovery, more than a year into a crisis that has crippled the global economy and fundamentally changed the way we live, work and communicate.As COVID-19 continues to spread, how effective will the vaccination programmes be and to what extent have they brought forward the timing of a recovery? What impact will the new US administration have on domestic and global affairs? What should businesses do to assure future growth and competitiveness?Join the FT’s top journalists in a series of live online conversations with leading policy-makers, CEOs and investors -- across three days and multiple time zones from Asia through to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas -- to debate and design the most effective post-pandemic strategies.

(Download the event transcript .txt)

On April 7th, the World Bank invited several leading experts to explore perspectives on a new global financial architecture for debt. Speakers discussed lessons from past restructuring efforts, the private sector’s role, and the increased need for debt transparency.

Zainab Haruna of Nigeria began the conversation by explaining how government debt can affect the lives of everyday people. Angolan Finance Minister Vera Daves spoke with World Bank Group President David Malpass about how the economic fallout from COVID-19 has affected her country’s revenue and debt levels. Kevin Watkins, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children, and K.Y. Amoako, President of the African Center for Economic Transformation, described how unsustainable debt can hold back the progress of countries, diverting resources that could otherwise be used to invest in health, education, and more. Citi’s Julie Monaco and World Bank Chief Economist...

Mapping and assessing vulnerable areas in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, one of the climate vulnerable countries in the world, cyclones over the Bay of Bengal have already increased in frequency and are projected to become more intense. Mapping vulnerable areas using Geographic Information System (GIS) and making datasets available across agencies is leading to better informed decision-making.

While location data and maps were held previously by individual, non-networked agencies, they are now available for cross-referencing on a platform called GeoDASH, supported by GFDRR and transferred to the Bangladesh Computer Council in December 2015. As of April 2021, over 3,700 users representing 55 public, private, and civil society organizations have shared data, making available 740 datasets from road network maps and building footprints to the location of water, gas, and utilities in a secure platform. All of these datasets are available to the public in a widely...

While the World Bank Group may not be the first organization that comes to mind when thinking innovative technology, the complexity of our work and the need to adapt quickly to global challenges requires the brightest minds. For IT professionals seeking a place that will nurture their development, this is the place to be.

If you’re an IT professional looking for a place to develop your skills and have a fulfilling career, you cannot miss our next episode of Behind the Mission: Working at the World Bank Group. Join the conversation with Denis Robitaille, World Bank Group Vice President, Information and Technology Solutions, and WBG Chief Information Officer, who will share his insights and advice on finding a fulfilling career at the World Bank Group.