Donor countries have pledged a record $100 billion three-year replenishment of the World Bank's fund for the poorest nations, providing a vital lifeline for their struggles against crushing debts, climate disasters, inflation and conflict.
Donor countries have pledged a record $100 billion three-year replenishment of the World Bank's fund for the poorest nations, providing a vital lifeline for their struggles against crushing debts, climate disasters, inflation and conflict.
The World Bank made the announcement early on Friday in Seoul at a pledging conference for the International Development Association, which provides grants and very low interest loans to some 78 low-income countries.
The total exceeds the previous $93 billion IDA replenishment announced in December 2021. Countries will contribute about $24 billion directly to IDA, but the fund will issue bonds and employ other financial leverage to stretch that to the targeted $100 billion in grants and loans through mid 2028.
But the two-day pledging conference fell short of the $120 billion goal that some developing countries had called for, partly because the dollar's strength .DXY -- pushed up by Donald Trump's U.S. presidential election victory -- diminished the dollar value of significant increases in foreign currency contributions by several countries.
At a G20 leaders' summit in Brazil last month, Norway increased its pledge by 50% from 2021 to 5.024 billion krone. That's $455 million at current exchange rates, but at the start of 2024, it would have been worth $496 million.
South Korea boosted its pledge by 45% to 846 billion won, ($597 million), Britain by 40% to 1.8 billion pounds, while Spain boosted its contribution to 400 million euros, a pledge worth $423 million -- $10 million less than the day it was announced in October.
U.S. President Joe Biden pledged a $4 billion U.S. contribution, up from $3.5 billion in the previous round.
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Rising temperatures are taking a mounting toll on Bangladesh, with heat-related illnesses and productivity losses costing the economy up to $1.78 billion - about 0.4% of GDP - in 2024, according to a World Bank report released Tuesday
The World Bank has announced that Tajikistan's medium-term outlook remains favourable, with growth projected to moderate to 7% in 2025 and converge toward a growth rate of 4.5% in 2026 and 5% in 2027.
The World Bank has said it's approved more than $1 billion in new funding to support rebuilding efforts and infrastructure development in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
Uzbekistan will significantly expand its small hydropower capacity through a new $150 million World Bank project, aiming to enhance electricity access and boost renewable energy production nationwide.
Indonesian authorities evacuated more than 900 people from nearby villages and were helping 170 stranded climbers return safely after the eruption of Semeru volcano, one of the country's tallest mountains.
Iran's air force, heavily reliant on aging F-14A Tomcat jets, faces a growing technological gap as its neighbors rapidly modernize their air forces with advanced fighter jets and air defense systems.
Ukraine says it will seek almost $44 billion from Russia to cover the climate damage caused by wartime emissions, marking the first attempt by any nation to bill an aggressor for its carbon footprint during conflict.
A fresh wave of floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in central Vietnam since the weekend has claimed at least eight lives, according to a government report on Wednesday. Traders have also cautioned that the extreme weather could disrupt the ongoing coffee harvest.
Germany has returned 12 royal-era cultural artefacts to Ethiopia in a ceremony in Addis Ababa, marking a formal step in ongoing cultural cooperation between the two countries.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the command post of the Russian forces “West” grouping on Thursday (November 20), meeting with Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov and senior military officials, the Kremlin said.
The White House said on Thursday (November 20) that senior Trump administration officials met with Ukrainian representatives this past week to discuss a peace plan designed to be acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia.
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