“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the devastating human and economic toll brought by the war in Ukraine. People are being killed, injured, and forced to flee, and massive damage is caused to the country’s physical infrastructure.

Global economic growth is forecast to edge up to 2.5% in 2020 as investment and trade gradually recover from last year’s significant weakness but downward risks persist, the World Bank says in its January 2020 Global Economic Prospects.

Saudi Aramco is joining the World Bank Initiative: ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’. Saudi Aramco has a strong focus on flaring reduction, which remained at less than 1% of its total raw gas production in the first half of 2019.

The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) today priced a new USD 2 billion 10-year global benchmark bond maturing October 23, 2029.

The World Bank has rapidly scaled up its support to Uzbekistan since the start of the country’s social and economic transformation in 2017. The World Bank program in Uzbekistan is among its largest in the Europe and Central Asia region, with 22 projects totaling $4.08 billion. The program is focusing on economic and institutional reforms, agriculture, health, education, water supply and sanitation, energy, transport, social protection system, and urban development.

WBG - The report argues that reforms in three areas, in particular, are needed to reignite productivity growth: 1) creating supportive conditions for private sector development by adjusting the role of the state; 2) addressing corporate debt overhang by strengthening the legal framework, strengthening the financial system, and shoring-up the fiscal position of the government; and 3) strengthening Ukraine’s markets by lifting the moratorium on agriculture land sales and increasing incentives to accumulate savings and human capital.

WBG - Global economic growth is projected to soften from a downwardly revised 3 percent in 2018 to 2.9 percent in 2019 amid rising downside risks to the outlook, the World Bank said on Tuesday. International trade and manufacturing activity have softened, trade tensions remain elevated, and some large emerging markets have experienced substantial financial market pressures.

WBG - “There are literally trillions of dollars of opportunities for the private sector to invest in projects that will help save the planet,” said IFC CEO Philippe Le Houérou. “Our job is to go out and proactively find those opportunities, use our de-risking tools, and crowd in private sector investment. We will do much more in helping finance renewable energy, green buildings, climate-smart agribusiness, urban transportation, water, and urban waste management.”

U.S. DT - On the borrower side, the IMF and World Bank should make efforts to obtain a comprehensive picture of members’ debt positions in both its bilateral surveillance and as part of its lending programs, with the goal of improving debt sustainability.

WBG - The $1 billion in World Bank Group financing is expected to mobilize another $4 billion in concessional climate financing and public and private investments. The program aims to finance 17.5 gigawatt hours (GWh) of battery storage by 2025 – more than triple the 4-5 GWh currently installed in all developing countries.