The World Bank

Weekly Update: ➡️ 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀. Developing economies are facing a major investment gap, with growth since the 2008–09 crisis just half of what it was in the 2000s. New World Bank research explores how to change that. ➡️ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀. Digital tech is changing how we work, from gig jobs to instant payments. But how do we unlock its full potential? ➡️ 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲? Digital tools promised better farm advice, but adoption stayed low. Generative AI is changing that with voice tips in farmers’ own languages. ➡️ 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗔. A new report shows how MENA countries can boost human development while facing aging populations, climate stress, and digital change.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰?   The report Firm Foundations of Growth: Productivity and Technology in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) explores how enterprises are using tech to unlock productivity and create employment. It makes the case for smarter policies that strengthen incentives and build capabilities to spark innovation.   𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • Investment has fueled EAP’s growth in the 21st century—but productivity gains have contributed less than 20%. • Top-performing firms in EAP (“national frontier” firms) are losing ground to global leaders—especially in digital sectors. From 2005 to 2015, productivity in global digital manufacturing jumped 76%, compared to just 34% in EAP. • Advanced tech adoption is lagging. Investment in data-driven business models in EAP has stalled at ~0.1% of GDP—far below advanced economies. • Why it matters: These frontier firms are big contributors to overall productivity. The top 10% most-productive firms drive 50% of aggregate growth. • What’s holding them back? Barriers to competition, weak management skills, and uneven digital infrastructure are limiting innovation.   𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗱𝗼? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀: • Open up markets. Removing entry barriers—like tariff liberalization in Viet Nam—can boost firm productivity. • Invest in people. Build strong foundations in basic and digital skills, and improve management capabilities. • Coordinate reforms. Align efforts in human capital, infrastructure, and competition. In the Philippines, combining openness to foreign competition with fiber broadband access more than doubled tech adoption. Read more: http://wrld.bg/CmVx50WYTNI

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁? At the World Bank Group, we’re shifting from tracking outputs to focusing on people-centered outcomes: healthier children, resilient families, and better jobs. Innovation and outcomes work best together, helping us learn fast, break silos, and deliver lasting change. Lisa Finneran and Lisandro Martin share how the World Bank Group is embedding innovation into an outcomes-driven culture.

Want to stay updated on the latest from The World Bank? Our weekly newsletter delivers economic analysis, insights on crucial regional data, and invitations to public global events on a variety of topics. 📩 Subscribe and get relevant content delivered straight to your inbox! http://wrld.bg/SZUx50WYqU2

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Meeting even modest development and climate goals will require 5% of global GDP in investment every year through 2030. For low-income countries, the financing gap is even higher. Yet investment momentum has slowed. Since the 2008–09 financial crisis, investment growth across emerging market and developing economies has fallen to half the pace in the 2000s. Private investment has weakened, and foreign direct investment is increasingly concentrated in just a few countries. How can countries balance soaring needs with dwindling resources? The World Bank’s new report, 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, shows that investment miracles are possible. Past accelerations doubled growth, boosted jobs, and lifted millions from poverty. But to spark a new wave, countries will need the right policy mix at home, and stronger international support. Read the report for insights: http://wrld.bg/2E1350WZtoK

𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀. At a time when demand is rising, from data centers to air conditioning and heavy industry—every kilowatt counts. Energy efficiency is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions, improve energy security, and create jobs. Join us for a 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 where experts from the World Bank Group, Türkiye, and Mexico share how countries can scale up energy efficiency to drive growth and resilience. Featuring insights from our new report: 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 📅 Date: Monday September 23, 2025 🕒 Time: 10:00AM EDT 📍 Watch Live on LinkedIn Don’t miss this important conversation on #EnergyEfficiency and #EnergySecurity.

The gig economy is changing what work means. With just a phone, people can find customers, run businesses, and get paid. But big gaps remain: low- and middle-income countries have 77% of the world’s mobile users but only 30% of its cell towers, and most don’t support 4G or 5G. Christine Zhenwei Qiang, Stephane Straub, and Leora Klapper explore what this means for development and outlines ways for countries to seize the opportunities being created by the digital job economy.

How can we unlock more private investment for emerging markets? By creating new financial tools, building investor confidence and opening access to emerging market opportunities. That’s the goal of The World Bank Group’s $510 million collateralized loan obligation (CLO), launched under the Emerging Markets Securitization Program (EMSP). It marks the first step in our originate-to-distribute model designed to mobilize private capital for development. The program unlocks private capital for emerging market borrowers who often lack access to global investors. It creates a scalable way for investors—like asset managers, pension funds and credit insurers—to channel capital into emerging markets to create jobs and support development. The transaction was listed on the London Stock Exchange. This brings visibility, transparency, and liquidity, connecting development finance with mainstream investors. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eKiib-X6 IFC - International Finance Corporation

Global energy efficiency is improving, but far too slowly. 🎧 In this clip from the Development Podcast, International Energy Agency (IEA)’s Melanie Slade explains why the current pace of progress—just 1% per year—isn’t enough. The good news? We already have the technologies to reach 4% annually. Watch the clip and share your ideas on how we can close the gap and accelerate change. https://lnkd.in/egJUe2Hr