Guatemala

As the rise of Latin America's middle class brings the region closer to more widely shared prosperity, a report warns that without a new set of reforms, both fiscal and social, those advances risk fal... Show More + ling by the wayside.Consider the following.In 2011, more people were part of the middle class in Latin America than living in poverty.For the first time ever, a decade of strong economic growth within the region saw employment increase and wage inequality drop, contributing to an unprecedented reduction in poverty and an increase in prosperity for all levels of society.These are just a couple of the findings of a new report, Shifting Gears to Accelerate Shared Prosperity in Latin America and the Caribbean, launched today.Underscoring the World Bank’s new twin goals of eradicating extreme poverty and boosting prosperity for the bottom 40% of the population by 2030, this new report proposes a framework to help Latin America stay on track as well as speed up future gains.Boosting prosperity Not only has employment increased, but average real incomes in Latin America have also risen by more than 25% since the turn of the millennium. And with the lowest wages increasing considerably faster than the regional average, it has been the poorest 40% who have benefitted the most.As one of the most unequal regions in the world, strengthening this link between growth and wage equity will be crucial if Latin America is to continue making strides towards shared prosperity.Equity-oriented policies can enhance a region’s capacity to grow in a sustained manner. In fact, the report states, that if the region were to take this opportunity to enshrine income equity into the political agenda, not only would standards of living be raised, but it would also further spur growth.“Equity-oriented policies can enhance a region’s capacity to grow in a sustained manner. Enabling people who are currently marginalized to improve their living conditions will unleash their inherent economic potential, increasing overall productivity and thus spurring growth.”For this upward trajectory to be achieved, the report puts forward four key policies:Maintaining an equitable, efficient and sustainable fiscal policy that fosters shared prosperity.Strengthening fair, transparent institutions that deliver quality public goods and services.Enabling an environment of well-functioning markets that are accessible for all economic levels of society.Improving risk management at both the macro- and household levels.ChallengesAround 80 million people in the region still live in extreme poverty – of whom half are in Brazil and Mexico - with a further 40% of Latin Americans at risk of falling back into poverty in the event of economic shocks or due to the effects of climate change on the region.Consequently, with global tides changing and favorable economic winds subsiding, Latin America faces a daunting challenge. Even if current levels of growth were maintained, the report warns it would take 41 years for the region to close the gap in wage inequality with global top performers, missing the 2030 target by 24 years.And the picture gets yet more complex when looked at a subnational level (states and provinces), where standards of living differ significantly depending on where in the country you live and your level of education.Today, a number of countries in the region are now focusing on reducing this gap. But while the report recognizes the gains, it reinforces a need for second-generation reforms to underpin what it describes as “the virtuous cycle” of economic growth and reforms to foster shared prosperity.But with a modest global economic outlook for the coming years, achieving the goal of ending extreme poverty within a generation as well as promoting the well-being of its poorest and most vulnerable citizens looks to be a significant challenge for Latin America. Show Less -

About 1.2 billion people still lack access to electricity, and 2.8 billion have to rely on wood or other biomass to cook and heat their homes, said a recent report produced by a multi-agency team led ... Show More + by the World Bank.  The Sustainable Energy for All Global Tracking Framework report is also clear about where the energy gap is concentrated: in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia. These are countries and regions where children do not have light to study at night, where communities are often insecure after dark, and where businesses lack the reliable power to get off the ground.  Changing this picture will require a concerted international effort.We cannot end extreme poverty without tackling energy poverty. The low access rate in these countries is both a cause and result of poverty. Change will require investment, knowledge sharing, and a long-term, collaborative effort with governments and development partners.In response, the World Bank Group is launching a global program to help countries achieve universal energy access, as part of its support to the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. The Sustainable Energy for All Technical Assistance Program (S-TAP), with US$15 million in initial funding from the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), will start in five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi, Guinea, Liberia, Mozambique and Senegal. The program will deliver a comprehensive package of support to help countries expand energy access, and build a prospectus of investment-ready projects that will facilitate that expansion.  Together, these are expected to catalyze further funding and investment from donors and the private sector that will allow countries to achieve universal access to electricity and safe household energy solutions by the year 2030.“We cannot end extreme poverty without tackling energy poverty,” said S. Vijay Iyer, Director of the World Bank Group’s Sustainable Energy Department. “The low access rate in these countries is both a cause and result of poverty. Change will require investment, knowledge sharing, and a long-term, collaborative effort with governments and development partners.” Discussions are underway to expand the program beyond the first five countries to Central America and Asia.  The program will also work to support the further development of regional power pools in Sub-Saharan Africa.  The program is designed to eventually extend to 20 countries, with an end goal of catalyzing access to electricity and modern cooking fuels for 200 million people by 2030.The current participating countries are characterized by low rates of energy access. Senegal is working to double rural electrification to 50 percent by 2017, and to minimize power outages. Liberia is rebuilding infrastructure damaged by its recent civil war, but at present less than 2 percent of the population is connected to the grid – one of the lowest rates in the world.“The scale of the challenge for these countries is daunting, but experience shows that it can be done,” said Rohit Khanna, Manager of the World Bank’s ESMAP, which will implement the program. “Take Rwanda, which was able to triple household energy access in only three years. Or Vietnam, where a generation ago fewer than 15 percent of rural homes had access to electricity.  Today, over 95 percent do.”S-TAP will focus on developing a detailed action plan and an investment prospectus for each country.  The investment prospectus will determine the policy and financing support needed for each country to meet its targets, and will include pre-feasibility studies for specific investment opportunities.  These opportunities are expected to cover both expanding electricity access and solutions for cleaner household cooking and heating.Other activities include a stock-taking of current energy access programs, capacity development, and policy and regulatory advice focused on two areas:improving the power sector investment climate by helping countries develop more credible and predictable regulations, and adopt global procurement standards;improving the governance and financial viability of power companies, through better accountability, autonomy and cost recovery.Taken together, this support is expected to lay out a clear roadmap for each country to achieve universal energy access by 2030. Show Less -

How many people around the world lack access to electricity and safe household fuels? What’s the share of renewable energy in the global mix? How are we doing in improving energy efficiency?The Sustai... Show More + nable Energy for All Global Tracking Framework Report, released at the Vienna Energy Forum on May 28, answers these questions. It presents detailed country-level and global data that outline the scale of the challenges ahead as countries try to meet the three objectives of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative: providing universal access to modern energy, doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, and doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency – all by 2030.The report tells us that 1.2 billion people – almost equal to the population of India – don’t have access to electricity, and that 2.8 billion rely on wood or other biomass for household fuel. Those solid household fuels produce health-damaging indoor pollution that contributes to about four million premature deaths a year, most of them women and children. The report also tells us that most of the people still without access live in 20 countries in developing Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, and that about 80 percent of them live in rural areas.What you measure determines what you get. That is why it is critical to get measurement right and to collect the right data, which is what this report has done. It has charted a map for our achievement of sustainable energy for all and a way to track progress. Let the journeybegin!How quickly is energy access expanding?Although 1.7 billion people obtained connections to electricity between 1990 and 2010, the rate was only slightly ahead of the population growth of 1.6 billion over the same period.  Electricity expansion growth will have to double to meet the 100 percent access target by 2030. Getting there will require an additional $45 billion invested in access every year, five times the current annual level.  The carbon cost of such expansion, however, is low: to bring electricity to those without it would increase global carbon dioxide emissions by less than 1 percent. Sustainable Energy for All, a global coalition of governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations, aims to achieve this while also doubling the amount of renewable energy in the global energy mix from its current share of 18 percent to 36 percent by 2030. The initiative also seeks to double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.  SE4ALL was launched in 2011 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who now chairs its advisory board with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. The Global Tracking Framework is a milestone in this effort, said World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte, a member of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative’s executive committee. “It provides baseline information on where we are in the journey toward meeting global energy goals,” she said. “Everyone will be able to measure their progress towards the baseline. And we know that’s important, because what gets measured is what gets done.”Where can we make the biggest difference?The report identifies high-impact countries that offer the most potential to make rapid progress:• Twenty high-impact countries in Asia and Africa account for about two-thirds of all people without electricity access and three-quarters of those using solid household fuels.• Another 20 high-impact countries account for 80 percent of energy consumption and will need to lead the way on doubling the share of renewables to 36 percent of the global energy mix and doubling improvement in energy efficiency.• One example of high-impact progress is China: the world’s most populous country is the largest consumer of energy, but it is also leading the world in expansion of renewable energy and the rate of  improvement in energy efficiency.The report concludes that decisive action is needed to achieve these goals. It calls for policy measures, including fiscal, financial and economic incentives, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and pricing carbon.The global community will also have to invest in energy improvements. The report estimates that existing investments in energy totaling about $409 billion a year need to more than double to achieve the three goals. An additional $600-800 billion is needed, the report says, including at least $45 billion for electricity expansion, $4.4 billion for modern cooking fuels, $394 billion for energy efficiency, and $174 billion for renewable energy. Show Less -

In terms of road safety, Latin America ranks number one in the tragic global ranking of regions with the highest number of deaths from road traffic accidents.Each year it is estimated that a lack of r... Show More + oad safety in the region results in nearly 130,000 deaths, some six million injuries and some form of disability for hundreds of thousands of people. For people aged 15 to 44, the figures are even more distressing: for this age group, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death.Key factors driving up the number of fatalities include the poor condition of part of the region’s road network, drink-driving and not using seat belts or helmets.Zenani Mandela, the daughter of former South African President Nelson Mandela and current South African Ambassador to Argentina, has joined the campaign to reduce traffic deaths.During the third road safety meeting, held in Buenos Aires last week, Zenani Mandela said “We cannot wait any longer to act when we know that there are children who will die on the roads.” As she spoke these words she was visibly upset by the memory of the death of her granddaughter, who was hit by a car in 2010. “This is a global epidemic. But unlike other health crises, we know exactly what to do: enforce speed limits, improve pedestrian crossings and sidewalks, make vehicles safer and raise awareness through education,” said Ambassador Mandela.Her words have special significance in Latin America, which has the highest rate of road fatalities in the world (19.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, more than three times the rate of some European countries). The rate for South America is two points above the regional average and more than double that of Europe.During the event, which was attended by government representatives from the region and multilateral agencies, experts discussed the measures adopted in Latin America during the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and encouraged the development of regional and national road safety plans.According to José Luis Irigoyen, Director of the World Bank’s Transport, Water and Information and Communication Technology Unit, the challenge of road safety is not only a public health problem; it also represents a threat to economic development. “Motor vehicle accidents represent between 1% and 3% of GDP of the world’s countries. In addition, the lack of road safety has a greater impact on the most vulnerable population groups,” he said.For that reason, Irigoyen stressed the need to strengthen the joint efforts of the transportation and health sectors in an effort to promote multisectoral actions which are sustainable over time. We cannot wait any longer to act when we know that there are children who will die on the roadsWhat is being done in the region?Since 2011, the Ibero-American Road Safety Observatory (OISEVI) has been establishing links to enable different countries in the region to share their knowledge. At the same time, it has developed a solid database, which can serve as input for formulating effective public policies.The first Ibero-American database on traffic accidents was also created. It is available on the OISEVI website (s).This ambitious project, which is part of activities from the Decade of Action for Road Safety launched by the United Nations, has become a reality thanks to the efforts of  countries within the region along with the World Bank, which provided technical and financial assistance for its design and implementation as well as serving as an intermediary between institutions such as the OECD and IRTAD.Situation in other regions of the worldApproximately every six seconds, a  person is killed or injured approximately on the roads, whereas every three minutes a child dies in a traffic accident. Injuries due to traffic accidents are already among the leading causes of death for people aged bewteen five and 44.Approximately 1.3 million people die each year on the world’s roads, and between 20 and 50 million are injured.In 2004, injuries from traffic accidents were the ninth leading cause of death. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030, they will become the fifth leading cause of death, overtaking diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.  Show Less -

Stressing the remarkable progress Haiti has made since the fateful earthquake in 2010, Sean Penn, CEO & Founder of the J/P Haitian Relief Organization (J/P HRO), called on the international commun... Show More + ity to continue its support to the Caribbean nation as it experiences a rebirth of sorts.  Speaking at the World Bank headquarters, Penn said that now is the time to seize opportunities in Haiti, a nation which can provide “incredible value” to other countries as well as to itself, especially by virtue of its private sector, Penn said.“Haitians are ready and willing to be the soldiers of change,” he noted. “We need to identify them, work with them and be willing to accept their guidance.” Penn, who founded the J/P HRO in the wake of the 2010 quake, spoke candidly to Hasan Tuluy, World Bank Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean about his experiences in the country.  Arriving in Haiti a week after the earthquake with the sole objective of distributing morphine and ketamine to emergency trauma units within the country, Penn initially expected to stay for just two weeks. But as the tide began to turn and the emergency relief organizations began to leave, he decided to stay, working with local Haitians to build J/P HRO.J/P HRO is dedicated to saving lives and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. J/P HRO works with both government and non-government agencies to deliver immediate results where the need is greatest. Principle efforts include providing emergency medical and primary care services, delivering badly needed medical equipment and medicine, rubble removal facilitating community regeneration, management of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, distributing food and water purification systems, improving communication systems, and developing housing and education facilities.The goal of J/P HRO is to support the residents of the camps they manage and surrounding areas transition from life left homeless by the earthquake to durable, sustainable and prosperous communities.With a staff nearly 400 strong and 98 percent Haitian, J/P HRO continues to evolve as an organization renowned for sustainable, community-driven development.Haitians are ready and willing to be the soldiers of change. We need to identify them, work with them and be willing to accept their guidancePartnerships are keySpeaking today, three years on from the earthquake, Penn admitted that while there is no perfect response to a disaster, the key is for organizations to work together.“Nothing happens without partnerships,” he stated. Describing the gaps he saw when traveling around the affected area in his first two weeks after the earthquake, he voiced his frustrations at a lack of a functional and collaborative cooperation between organizations from the outset. But he stressed that partnerships aren’t needed solely at an organizational level and that beneficiaries should also be partners.“If someone is in great need, and their experience of those who want to help them is to pat them on the back to make themselves feel good. They ask for the money in your pocket. Ask them again, what they need and again they’ll ask for money. Ask them a third time and convince them that you are there to stay you’ll get a different answer. Then you can seed it, water it with the people and begin to see real change”.Now as the response in Haiti changes pace and turns towards reconstruction and development, both Penn and Tuluy admitted this poses a new challenge. However, Penn clarified that there are as many opportunities in the country as there are people.In highlighting the point, he cited the example of a community center originally set up in the Petionville IDP camp which is managed by the J/P Haitian Relief Organization. Using funds from their first World bank grant, a building in the neighboring community was repurposed to house children's activities and adult education classes; all run by the community for the community.But the spirit of partnership and cooperation, which is so key to Haiti’s recovery, is not limited to those within the country’s borders. The Haitian diaspora also has a vital role to play, as Vice-President Tuluy explained.“There is an enormous human capital, intelligence, energy, capacity for networking out there in the diaspora,” he emphasized. “We need to create conditions where the diaspora is brought in and contribute as they are keen to do.”They would then help promote much needed private sector growth, which Penn recognized as a key developmental challenge for the country, despite an overwhelming willingness to work.“It is not a beggar culture, when people approach me it’s for a job,” he explained. “[But] you’re not going to get investment where there isn’t electricity access or you have to deal with security issues, which are health related.”Such private sector growth would also stop brain drain, which Penn warns will be a problem if the focus is solely on education. “There is an emergency in education. Up to the age of 5 years old, if you haven’t fed or exercised these minds, then you won’t get them back. But if you are only focused on education, then you educate them out of the country. You need to have jobs on the other side,”  he warned.Summing up, Penn noted that “Now is an important moment for Haiti. A time to seize opportunities.”  The growth of the internet and social media has shown young Haitians that development is a human right, meaning that “Haiti cannot fall into the old pattern.”“Enough waiting,” he concluded, “Let’s rock and roll.”Penn also met with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and core Bank staff.ABOUT J/P HAITIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATIONJ/P Haitian Relief Organization is dedicated to saving lives and bringing sustainable programs to the Haitian people quickly and effectively. Following the tragic earthquake of 2010 J/P HRO began working immediately to make an impact in Haiti. J/P HRO works with both government and non-governmental agencies to deliver immediate results where the need is greatest. J/P HRO’s four primary programming areas are Medical, Camp and Relocations Management, Engineering and Construction and Community Development and activities include but are not limited to providing emergency medical and primary care services, removing rubble and debris while building back better, offering educational and enrichment programming to the community and developing housing and education facilities. More information can be found at jphro.org. You can follow J/P HRO on Twitter, add J/P HRO to your Google+ circles, and find J/P HRO on Facebook. Show Less -

Enfatizando o notável avanço do Haiti desde o grave terremoto de 2010, Sean Penn, diretor-executivo e fundador da Organização J/P de Ajuda ao Haiti (J/P HRO, na sigla em inglês), incentivou a comunida... Show More + de internacional a continuar apoiando o país caribenho no momento em que a nação passa por uma espécie de renascimento.Falando na sede do Banco Mundial, Penn disse que agora é o momento de aproveitar as oportunidades no Haiti, uma nação que pode proporcionar um "valor incrível" para outros países, bem como a si mesma, especialmente por causa do seu setor privado, disse Penn."Os haitianos estão prontos e empenhados em ser os soldados da mudança", observou. "Precisamos identificá-los, trabalhar com eles e estar dispostos a aceitar sua orientação." Penn, que fundou a J/P HRO após o terremoto de 2010, falou abertamente a Hasan Tuluy, vice-presidente do Banco Mundial para a América Latina e o Caribe, sobre as suas experiências no país.Tendo chegado ao Haiti uma semana após o terremoto com o único objetivo de distribuir morfina e cetamina para unidades emergenciais de traumatologia no país, Penn esperava permanecer no país por apenas duas semanas. Mas, à medida que a situação mudou e as organizações de ajuda humanitária emergencial começaram a ir embora, ele decidiu ficar para trabalhar com os haitianos na construção da J/P HRO.A J/P HRO dedica-se a salvar vidas e trazer programas sustentáveis para o povo haitiano de forma rápida e eficaz. A organização trabalha com entidades do governo e organizações não-governamentais visando apresentar resultados imediatos onde houver maior necessidade. Em princípio, as iniciativas incluem prestação de serviços de assistência médica primária e emergencial, fornecimento de equipamentos médicos e remédios altamente necessários, remoção de escombros para facilitar a recuperação da comunidade, administração dos acampamentos para pessoas internamente deslocadas, distribuição de alimentos e sistemas de purificação de água, melhoria dos sistemas de comunicação e construção de moradias e estabelecimentos de ensino.O objetivo da J/P HRO é apoiar os residentes nos acampamentos administrados pela organização e nas áreas em seu entorno no processo de mudança da condição de desabrigados pelo terremoto para a de habitantes de comunidades duráveis, prósperas e sustentáveis.Com uma equipe de cerca de 400 membros, dos quais 98% são haitianos, a J/P HRO continua a evoluir como uma entidade reconhecida pela atuação na área do desenvolvimento comunitário sustentável.Haitians are ready and willing to be the soldiers of change. We need to identify them, work with them and be willing to accept their guidanceAlianças são chavesAo falar hoje, três anos após o terremoto, Penn admitiu que, enquanto não houver uma resposta perfeita para uma catástrofe, o fator mais importante é o trabalho conjunto das organizações."Nada acontece sem parcerias", afirmou Penn. Descrevendo as lacunas que observou ao viajar pela área afetada em suas duas primeiras semanas no país após o terremoto, ele expressou sua frustração com a falta de uma cooperação funcional e coordenada entre as organizações desde o início. Mas ressaltou que as parcerias não são necessárias apenas no nível organizacional e que os beneficiários também devem participar."Se as pessoas que estão em uma situação de grande necessidade recebem apenas um tapinha nas costas daqueles que dizem querer ajudá-las para que se sintam bem, elas vão pedir o dinheiro que está no seu bolso. Pergunte a elas de novo o que precisam e, novamente, vão pedir dinheiro. Pergunte-lhes uma terceira vez e convença-as de que você está lá para ficar e obterá uma resposta diferente. Em seguida, você pode disseminar esta reação, cultivá-la com essas pessoas e, então, começará a ver uma mudança real".Agora, enquanto a resposta no Haiti muda de ritmo e volta-se para a reconstrução e o desenvolvimento, Penn e Tuluy admitem que isso representa um novo desafio. No entanto, Penn esclareceu que existem tantas oportunidades quanto pessoas no país.Ao destacar esse ponto, Penn citou o exemplo de um centro comunitário originalmente criado no acampamento Petionville para pessoas internamente desalojadas, administrado pela Organização J/P de Ajuda ao Haiti. Utilizando os recursos da primeira doação concedida pelo Banco Mundial, um edifício na comunidade vizinha foi reaproveitado para abrigar as atividades infantis e as aulas de educação de adultos para a comunidade e que são gerenciadas pela própria comunidade.Mas o espírito de parceria e cooperação, que é tão fundamental para a recuperação do Haiti, não se limita às pessoas dentro das fronteiras do país. A diáspora haitiana também desempenha um papel vital, como explicou o vice-presidente Tuluy.“Fora do país, há um capital humano enorme, inteligência, energia e capacidade de estabelecer redes de relacionamento”, enfatizou. “Precisamos criar condições para que os emigrantes possam contribuir, como, aliás, eles estão dispostos a fazer.”Eles ajudariam então a promover o tão necessário crescimento do setor privado que Penn reconheceu ser um desafio fundamental, apesar da imensa vontade de trabalhar mostrada pelo Haiti."Essa não é uma cultura da mendicância. Quando as pessoas se aproximam de mim, é para pedir trabalho", explicou. "[Mas] você não vai conseguir investimento onde não há acesso à eletricidade e terá que lidar com problemas de segurança, que são questões relacionadas à saúde."O crescimento do setor privado também poderá interromper a fuga de cérebros, o que Penn adverte que será um problema se o enfoque contemplar apenas a educação."Há uma situação de emergência na educação. Se até os 5 anos essas mentes não tiverem sido alimentadas ou exercitadas, não será possível recuperá-las. Mas se estiver apenas concentrado na educação, então você os educará para irem embora do país. Em contrapartida, é necessário criar empregos", alertou.Em suma, Penn observou: "Agora é um momento importante para o Haiti. É tempo de aproveitar as oportunidades." O crescimento da internet e das mídias sociais mostrou aos jovens haitianos que o desenvolvimento é um direito humano. Isso significa que "o Haiti não pode cair no velho padrão".“Já chega de esperar”, concluiu, “Vamos colocar mãos à obra.”Penn também se reuniu com o presidente do Banco Mundial Jim Yong Kim e outros funcionários do Banco.SOBRE A ORGANIZAÇÃO J/P DE AJUDA AO HAITIA Organização J/P de Ajuda ao Haiti (J/P HRO) dedica-se a salvar vidas e a trazer programas sustentáveis para a população haitiana de forma rápida e eficiente. Após o trágico terremoto de 2010, a organização começou a trabalhar imediatamente com o objetivo de exercer um impacto significativo no país. A J/P HRO atua junto aos órgãos governamentais e não governamentais visando promover resultados instantâneos onde houver mais necessidade. Saúde, administração de acampamentos e remanejamento de pessoas desalojadas, engenharia e construção, além de desenvolvimento comunitário são as quatro principais áreas programáticas da J/P HRO, cujas atividades abrangem, mas não se limitam ao fornecimento de serviços médicos emergenciais e de cuidados primários, à remoção de entulho e detritos para uma melhor reconstrução, à oferta de programas educativos e de aperfeiçoamento para a comunidade e ao desenvolvimento de moradias e estabelecimentos educacionais. Mais informações podem ser obtidas no site jphro.org. Siga a J/P HRO no Twitter, adicione a J/P HRO nos seus grupos do Google+ e encontre a J/P HRO no Facebook.  Show Less -

April 20, 2013— After a decade of sustained economic growth and falling poverty in developing countries, the World Bank Group has a “historic opportunity” to help end extreme poverty within a generati... Show More + on, the Development Committee said at the close of the 2013 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings.   The ministers backed the goal put forward by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim to reduce the number of people living on $1.25 a day to 3% or less of the world’s population by 2030, said Chairman Marek Belka.“We have set an expiration date for extreme poverty. With commitment, cooperation, and the vision of leaders from around the world, we have great faith that we can make it happen,” said Dr. Kim.The goal includes fostering income growth and “shared prosperity” for the bottom 40% of every country – which will entail reducing inequality, promoting gender equality, and creating opportunities for all citizens.“Ministers unequivocally supported Dr. Kim’s vision and stated that we can count on the World Bank Group as a partner in the endeavor of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity,” said Belka.With just a 17-year window, reaching these goals “will be hard work,” said Dr. Kim.It will also require that developing countries keep growing quickly, and that some of the poorest countries in the world reduce poverty at a much faster rate than they have to date.The Bank Group will have to pay “special attention” to these countries, and to the world’s fragile and conflict-affected situations.In its communiqué, the Development Committee urged countries to back IDA, the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, especially in support of the world’s fragile states. Ministers also called on the Bank to step up support for the Millennium Development Goals, which promote human development, such as health care and education, and enable countries to grow more quickly.  “We call for a robust IDA17 replenishment with strong participation from all members,” the Committee said. “Investment in people, especially in health and education, is the right thing to do, both from a moral and a strategic perspective,” said Dr. Kim.To speed progress in reducing poverty, the Bank won support for its plan to develop a “science of delivery” to promote data-gathering, evidence-based development, and improved public services in developing countries.“We will bring the urgency of the task to the world every year by reporting on our progress, country by country, on the rate of extreme poverty around the world as well as the changes in the income of the bottom 40% in each country, the people who are vulnerable to slipping back into poverty in event of losing a job or suffering a health crisis. We will learn every year where we are making progress and where we are not,” said Dr. Kim.The Development Committee called on the Bank Group to help countries in the Sahel and Horn of Africa build resilience to crisis by “deepening its commitments on infrastructure, job creation, social reintegration, agricultural production and food security.”The ministers also addressed concern over climate change by encouraging the Bank to support countries that want to catalyze low-carbon growth and climate resilience in cities, scale-up climate-smart agriculture, and phase-out fossil fuel subsidies, “with due regard to affordability of energy for the poor.” Show Less -

While poverty has declined rapidly over the past three decades, humanity continues to face urgent and complex challenges.More than 1 billion people still live in deep poverty, a state of affairs that ... Show More + is morally unacceptable given the resources and technology we have available today. At the same time, rising inequality and social exclusion seems to accompany rising prosperity in many countries.Under these circumstances, the World Bank's overarching mission of a world free of poverty is as relevant today as it has ever been.So the Bank has established ambitious, but achievable goals to galvanize international and national efforts to end extreme poverty globally within a generation and to promote "shared prosperity," a sustainable increase in the well-being of the poorer segments of society.This second goal reflects the fact that all countries aspire to a better living standard for all of their citizens, not only for the already-privileged.To end extreme poverty, the Bank's goal is to decrease the percentage of people living with less than $1.25 a day to no more than 3 percent by 2030.To promote shared prosperity, the goal is to promote income growth of the bottom 40 percent of the population in each country. Learn more about the World Bank's new goals here. Show Less -

From the vast Amazon Basin to the extensive Guaraní aquifer, to the frozen glaciers high in the Andes, Latin America is rich in water -a key resource in the region’s development.  Enormous progre... Show More + ss has been made in the last two decades in extending water access across the region, with 70 million more people served in the urban centers than at the turn of the millennium. Furthermore, many countries within the region, and especially Brazil, have become examples for managing water resources.“There are several examples where Latin America is fairly advanced with respect to water governance and the fact is that other countries are looking towards Latin America in order to learn,” explained World Bank Water Expert Karin Kemper.  One such example is the management of Brazil’s many river basins. Accepting that all users have an interest in how water is managed, over the past 15 years Brazil has paved the way for participatory approach to managing water supplies.Consequently, users from across the spectrum – water supply companies, irrigators, energy providers and representatives  from both state and federal government as well as civil society - are involved in the decision making process, in order to take into consideration their differing water needs. Initially pioneered in São Paulo, this inclusive approach to water governance is particularly successful in the state of Ceará and is today enshrined in both federal and state law.The poorest are most affected by droughts and floods, they are the least able to organize themselves against such occurrences, and have little access to financial tools, such as savings and insurance.A water-rich region, Latin America is home to nearly 31% of the world’s freshwater resources, but it also has large arid and semi-arid areas with recurring droughts common from Mexico to Chile. Water scarcity is expected to increase in several areas due to climate change, including in the Andes, where the melting glaciers will have a great effect on the water supply.The full impact of these changes is still unknown, but experts agree that changes in water supply will be one of the first, and most dramatic, effects.Consequently, preventing the region’s poorest and most vulnerable populations from falling back into poverty will need a regional yearly investment. Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, World Bank Regional Director for Sustainable Development, estimates that climate change adapting measures have a cost of US$15 billion to US$20 billion a year for Latin America and the Caribbean.“The poorest are most affected by droughts and floods, they are the least able to organize themselves against such occurrences, and have little access to financial tools, such as savings and insurance," Ijjasz explained.Access to water services is still highly unequal. Rapid urbanization in the region means water and sanitation services have been heavily weighted towards the urban populations, to the detriment of interior, rural communities. But despite enormous progress over the past 20 years, 30 million Latin Americans are still without access to safe drinking water..Consequently, a key challenge for many Latin American countries is to further improve the way this scarce resource is managed. Infrastructure, such as storage and distribution systems, needs to be put into place, along with ways to allocate water across sectors to enable economic growth to be maintained in an environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive manner.While the region has already met the Millennium Development Goal target for water, rural sanitation is lagging behind. Currently, 100 million people still lack access to any sanitation, with rural access at just 60%. Additionally, only 20% of waste water in Latin America is treated, leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal areas, which not only exposes the resident population to toxins and disease but also causes billions to be lost in potential tourism and real estate revenues.By extending access to water and improving governance, Latin America has made clear progress over the past two decades. And while inequalities remain, 96% of Latin American’s now have access to a clean, safe water source. However, if water security is to be protected in the future, now is the time for the region to prepare for a changing climate.   Show Less -

Panama City – Latin America is in a position to continue to drive growth and to be part of the solution to global problems in the coming years, said World Bank Vice-President for Latin America and the... Show More + Caribbean Hasan Tuluy.Expressing his optimism about the future of the region, Tuluy reported that economic growth is expected to reach 3.5% in 2013 and a rate approaching 4% in the medium term.He highlighted the performance of individual countries such as Panama, Peru and Chile, which have exceeded the average growth rate for the region, with rates of up to 10% in the case of the Isthmus of Panama.Tuluy is currently in Panama City to participate in the Annual Meeting of the Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC).The high-level official said his confidence stems from Latin America’s well-deserved status as a leader in linking economic growth with social inclusion – with achievements such as the sharp decline in the poverty rate and a 50% expansion of the middle class, or some 50 million people, during the past decade.However, Tuluy warned that the region’s main challenge is what he calls the “battle of productivity,” since the goal is not only economic growth, but achieving it in the most efficient, fairest way possible.We have a moral, political and economic obligation with future generations, and we need a growth model that respects the options for those generationsThe World Bank official said that this battle should be fought on three fronts:Education quality: The region has made strides in terms of education access; it must now focus on improving education quality. Most Latin American countries still lag behind on international tests to measure education performance, such as the PISA. For example, while the percentage of Latin Americans with a tertiary education rose from 9.5% in 1990 to 14.2% in 2009, the percentage for Asian Tiger residents increased from 10% to 20% during the same period.Improved infrastructure: The region’s impressive economic growth is due in part to the bonanza in raw material exports. However, countries in the region should not focus solely on producing goods but also on their competitive marketing. For example, the regional cost of transporting a commodity from one location to another (logistics) is between two and four times higher than in the OECD countries and the Asian Tigers.Intelligent government. Public services and spending have been modernized in the region, but much remains to be done. This is not an ideological debate on whether the government should be larger or smaller, but simply more intelligent. In other words, a government that can provide services to the population in an efficient manner. Today, with the exception of Brazil, tax revenue in the countries of the region is just 17% of GDP, half of the average for OECD countries.The objectives of these efforts go beyond reducing poverty; they strive to ensure that the prosperity is shared and that everyone has access to opportunities rather than just the countries’ elite, said Tuluy.If growth only benefits a small percentage of the population, “there is no future for society,” he said.Moreover, Tuluy promotes a sustainable growth model. “We have a moral, political and economic obligation with future generations, and we need a growth model that respects the options for those generations,” he said.In other words, we must strive for comprehensive growth that respects the use of natural resources, that does not pollute and that creates opportunities for everyone, he added. Show Less -