The World Bank

500 million smallholder farmers produce most of the world’s food, yet many remain in poverty, relying on traditional methods and lacking access to markets, finance, and technology. Supporting them to become commercially successful is critical to creating jobs, reducing poverty, and improving global food security. With AgriConnect, The World Bank Group and partners like Bayer, KTDA Holdings Limited, PULA, Las Quinas & S4S Technologies are helping farmers turn agriculture into agribusiness and jobs. http://wrld.bg/jrb150XjWAs

𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, examines how countries in the region can turn economic resilience into stronger, more inclusive growth by investing in jobs, productivity, and skills. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁: ➡️ Growth in the developing economies of Europe and Central Asia is projected to moderate to 2.4% in 2025, reflecting slower global demand and persistent structural challenges. ➡️ Central Asia: Growth remains robust at 5.9% in 2025, driven by strong domestic demand, before easing slightly to 5.0% in 2026. ➡️ Türkiye: Growth expected to expand by 3.5%, reflecting continued resilience and gradual policy stabilization. ➡️ Western Balkans: Growth eases to 3.0% in 2025, constrained by weak productivity and labor market challenges. 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 ➡️ The report highlights that investing in jobs is key to unlocking productivity and sustainable growth. To build prosperity, countries need to: ➡️ Invest in the foundations for jobs—quality education, skills, and infrastructure. ➡️ Mobilize private capital to expand opportunities and boost productivity. ➡️ Transform low-skill jobs into higher-quality employment through innovation and private sector growth. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: http://wrld.bg/becm50XizJx

How can legal professionals adapt their roles to advance solutions that help meet development goals? How can they leverage their unique expertise to be key innovators in the development space? As the closing session for #LJDWeek2025, this discussion will focus on how legal professionals can bring new ideas to tackle ongoing and emerging global challenges, as well as creative insights to unlock greater development impact. 📅 Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025 | 3:15–4:15 PM EST 👉 Register now to watch the livestream Panelists • Christophe Soulard, First President, French Court de Cassation (Supreme Court) • Jose Luis Sardon, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Peru to the OAS • Jun Jin, Deputy General Counsel, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • Katherine (Katie) Meighan, General Counsel, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) • Vivienne Yeda, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Africa Finance Corporation • Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Attorney General, Uganda Closing Remarks: Christopher Stephens, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, World Bank Group Moderator: David Sullivan, Deputy General Counsel for Institutional Affairs, World Bank Group

𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. Federico Cohen Freue from Mastercard highlights how emerging tech democratizes learning, unlocks smarter business decisions, and drives inclusive opportunities for all.

By 2050, the world will need 30% more food. At the #WBGMeetings, The World Bank Group launched AgriConnect, a new initiative to transform small-scale farming into an engine of sustainable growth, jobs, and food security. Catch the highlights and watch the replay.

AI + Trade = Opportunity? Every year, millions of young South Asians enter the job market—but the jobs aren’t keeping pace. Could AI adoption and greater trade openness be the game-changers the region needs?   Join us LIVE for the latest South Asia Development Update: 📅 Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 | 8:00–9:00 AM EDT Experts will unpack how targeted reforms can lower trade barriers, boost productivity, and harness AI to create jobs and unlock growth.   Speakers: • Abhishek Singh, CEO of India AI Mission • Johannes Zutt, Vice President for the South Asia Region, The World Bank • Franziska Ohnsorge, Chief Economist for South Asia, The World Bank • Amit Khandelwal, Hahn Professor of Global Affairs and Economics, Yale University • Anushka Wijesinha, Director, Centre for a Smart Future Register to watch the event and be part of the conversation #SouthAsiaDevelopment

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. Tourism is one of the world’s most powerful engines for job creation, supporting over 350 million jobs and driving 10% of global GDP. Cities like Marrakech, which welcomed nearly 4 million visitors in 2024, show how urban tourism fuels livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and local growth. This World Cities Day, read Guangzhe Chen’s insights on how cities can harness tourism’s full potential with the right infrastructure, skills, and partnerships to turn visitors into opportunities for all.

 “𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.” On World Cities Day, Marisela Ponce de León Valdés, Senior Transport Specialist and the Road Safety Pillar Lead within the Africa Transport Policy Program at The World Bank Group, reminds us that road crashes are not accidents—they are preventable, and each of us can play a role in stopping them. Watch this video to discover what drives Marisela every day at our Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire office to make roads safer. Learn more about our work in transport, mobility, and road safety: http://wrld.bg/2MSi50Xjg20

Latin America and the Caribbean are facing rising temperatures and more frequent extreme heat, with cities projected to see up to 116 additional hot days per year by the century’s end. Heat-related deaths have surged 140% in the past two decades. The World Bank report 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻 highlights the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations, improve urban resilience, and address the growing risks of extreme heat in one of the world’s most urbanized regions. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ➡️ Cities across the region are getting hotter. Temperatures are rising across all climate zones, and daily urban highs are projected to increase by 2.3 to 2.7°C by the end of the century. The Caribbean and Amazon Basin will be among the hardest hit. ➡️ Urban heat is deadly and unequal. It causes tens of thousands of deaths each year and disproportionately affects older adults and vulnerable groups. ➡️Low-income households are most exposed, often living in neighborhoods with little green space, poor-quality housing, and limited mobility options beyond walking or public transport. ➡️ Infrastructure and services are unprepared. Power grids, transport systems, housing, and schools were not designed for extreme heat, leading to blackouts, service failures, learning disruptions, and widespread thermal discomfort. ➡️ Urban heat threatens prosperity. Extreme heat reduces labor productivity, raises health costs, and is already slowing economic activity in many cities—with projected GDP losses in major urban centers reaching 5% or more in the coming decades. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ➡️ Solutions exist—and cities are already moving forward. Many are investing in heat resilience, from expanding green areas to adapting housing. Scaling up these efforts can save lives, protect economies, and create new opportunities for decent work. ➡️ Work is part of the solution. With up to 70% of Latin American and Caribbean workers exposed to extreme heat, stronger safety standards, adaptive social protection, and early warning systems can save lives, protect incomes, and create quality jobs. ➡️ Design cooler urban spaces. Expand tree cover, shaded corridors, and parks; retrofit buildings with green or reflective roofs; and apply passive design principles to improve ventilation and reduce indoor heat. ➡️ Strengthen resilient public services and housing. Modernize power grids, water systems, schools, transport, and affordable housing to withstand prolonged heatwaves, ensuring continuous services and safe living conditions. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 #WorldCitiesDay: http://wrld.bg/KLQR50XkuJh