The World Bank

Weekly Update: 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Seventeen African countries are stepping up with concrete plans to expand electricity access under Mission 300, unlocking public investment, driving reforms, and attracting private funding. 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱? A new report shows global port performance dropped between 2020 and 2024, affected by the Red Sea crisis, Panama Canal issues, and pandemic-related shocks, with some regional differences. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: Nature-based tourism offers a powerful triple win for countries: It protects biodiversity, creates meaningful jobs, and delivers strong economic returns. 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀: New IFC - International Finance Corporation research explores how customized business upgrading programs can fuel growth, increase profits, create jobs, and transform emerging market economies.

Explore the latest insights and data on food security! The latest 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 provides a snapshot of current global food security trends, highlighting both areas of concern and progress. From updates on acute food insecurity and malnutrition to insights on agricultural markets and price movements, these findings offer a comprehensive view of the evolving challenges shaping food systems worldwide. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: ➡️ The September 2025 update to the Global Report on Food Crises, produced by a consortium of UN agencies, technical organizations, donors, and regional intergovernmental bodies, reports that 1.4 million people are facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity. Haiti, Mali, South Sudan, and Yemen also have large populations facing acute food insecurity. ➡️ Since the last update on June 13, 2025, the agricultural, export, cereal price indices closed 3 percent, 6 percent, and 4 percent higher respectively. The September 2025 edition of the AMIS Market Monitor reports that international wheat, maize, rice, and soybean markets remain broadly well supplied, although risks tied to trade policies, biofuels, and climate variability continue to weigh on outlooks. ➡️ The 2025 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World highlights progress and persistent challenges in the global fight against hunger and malnutrition, with a central focus on the impacts of food price inflation. ➡️ The 2025 edition of the Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates highlights persistent challenges in reducing child malnutrition and the risk that recent progress will stall or reverse. Read more: http://wrld.bg/cHI750X57oQ

Trust is the ‘human infrastructure’ of development. When people trust each other, institutions, and systems, jobs flourish and societies grow stronger. Robin Mearns explains how trust, inclusion, and fair institutions drive growth and opportunity.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗼𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺. Are you an undergrad student passionate about finance, innovation, and global development? Don’t miss your chance to join The World Bank Treasury Summer Internship Program, an opportunity to work at the intersection of finance and impact. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆:  ✔ 10-week rotational experience across Treasury and Pension business lines ✔ Exposure to global markets and cutting-edge financial strategies ✔ A diverse, inclusive environment with colleagues from over 60 countries ✔ A capstone project presented to Treasury leadership 📅 Application Deadline: October 12, 2025 🔗 Apply here: http://wrld.bg/oEl650X4skS

CLOSING TODAY: The World Bank Group Young Professionals Program offers global exposure, leadership training, and real impact. Apply by 11:59PM UTC for an opportunity to work with diverse teams from around the globe on life-changing projects:  http://wrld.bg/NCa950X2Gjm

Take this quiz to discover how the health sector plays a key role in job creation. http://wrld.bg/wIpZ50WUaJ3

Transparency. Accountability. Impact. At The World Bank, we put transparency and accountability at the forefront of our work. That is why we created Funds Chain, our blockchain initiative that brings end-to-end traceability to development projects. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: ➡️ Every transaction is recorded, permanent, and tamper-proof. ➡️ Stakeholders from partners and auditors to local governments and beneficiaries can see where funds are going and how they are used. ➡️ It modernizes public financial management, increases efficiency, and reduces reliance on manual, paper-based processes. ➡️ Auditors gain easy access to complete transaction records, simplifying audit requirements. Through Funds Chain, the World Bank is enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and impact of development projects, giving everyone from donors to beneficiaries confidence that resources reach their intended purpose. Learn more: http://wrld.bg/rYCE50X3UHt

What would you read first? Explore the World Bank’s free Open Knowledge Repository and download top publications in PDF. 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀: ➡️ 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻⁠. Most screen time advice focuses on strict limits or generic warnings, overlooking the real challenges families face. Parents often rely on screens to manage daily tasks, behaviors, or simply get a break. This report offers a nuanced, evidence-based approach that balances developmental concerns with practical realities, drawing on 80+ studies from 18 countries and six regions. ➡️ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗔 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲-𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀, 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀⁠. Behavioral science can boost tax compliance by reshaping how people think and act. The World Bank’s work highlights three practical tools plus a Practitioner’s Guide with hands-on tips for revenue collection. ➡️ 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱. Social protection and labor programs are key to financial stability and resilience, yet nearly 2 billion people remain unprotected. The World Bank aims to support 500 million more by 2030, using innovative tools like digital social registries to target help efficiently. These systems help countries respond to crises, manage shocks, and deliver services, from cash transfers to health, education, and disaster relief, more effectively. ➡️ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀? This study examines how fuel tax and subsidy reforms in six Latin American and Caribbean countries affect household welfare and income distribution. Using detailed data and fiscal incidence analysis, it assesses the short-term impact of higher fuel taxes and lower subsidies, while exploring how social protection programs can help offset these effects. 🔗 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸'𝘀 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: http://wrld.bg/va9n50WXO6y

Energy efficiency is no longer just a niche—it’s a major market opportunity. Rising demand from AI, cooling, and industry means smart investments can cut energy debt, enhance competitiveness, and attract private capital. Watch global experts and country leaders explore how governments and businesses can join forces to unlock private investment, reduce energy debt, and drive economic growth.

Tourism is a key driver of economic growth—contributing US$10.9T to global GDP and 357M jobs in 2024. The World Bank supports countries in managing tourism sustainably to maximize impact, expand local opportunities, and drive inclusive growth. http://wrld.bg/Nczv50WzAgg