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January
Haiti, One Year Later
The Bank, donors, and other partners join forces to quickly provide relief, assess the damage, cancel debt, and begin the rebuilding process.
Video Timeline | Mapping Haiti Response | World Bank Response 
February
Food Prices Push 44 Million Into Poverty
Bank research shows the world is entering a danger zone amid grain shortages and continued food price volatility.
Food Price Watch
March
Arab Voices and Views
In the midst of an "Arab Spring" that sweeps the Middle East, the Bank convenes Arab experts, social media voices, activists, and academics to dialogue on what unprecedented change means for the region.
Webcast | Arab World Initiative | Voices and Views Blog
March 11
Japan Hit by Quake, Tsunami Disaster
The disaster devastates low-lying areas, claiming more than 15,000 lives, and seriously damaging a nuclear power plant. In the following months, Japan proves resilient, cleaning up, rebuilding, and restoring production in key industries.
Pres. Zoellick Statement | East Asia and Pacific Economic Update
April 6
Transformation in Arab Countries
Events in the Middle East and North Africa show that greater citizen participation and better governance are crucial for economic development and the World Bank will do more to emphasize both, World Bank President Robert Zoellick says in a speech entitled "A New Social Contract for Development."
Webcast | Speech
April 11
WDR: Conflict, Security and Development
World Development Report 2011 finds that breaking the cycle of violence in fragile and conflict-affected countries entails strengthening legitimate institutions and governance to provide citizen security, justice, and jobs.
Webcast Panel of Experts | Report
April 14
Seeking Solutions to Food Insecurity
The Bank opens up a critical issue for discussion as thousands tune into a webcast and chat on the food crisis during the Spring Meetings. People from more than 90 countries submitted 500 thought-provoking questions and solutions.
Open Forum Webcast | Food Crisis Resources
April 15
Apps Contest Drives Innovation
As part of its commitment to transparency and open development, the Bank holds its first-ever competition challenging outside innovators to use newly public World Bank data to tackle some of the world’s long-standing problems.
Apps for Dev Website | Meet the Winners-
May 17
Rise of the Developing World
By 2025, six major emerging economies – China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea and Russia – will account for more than half of global growth, and the international monetary system will no longer be dominated by a single currency, a report says.
Global Development Horizons | Blog 
May 24
Bank Supports Reform in Egypt, Tunisia
The World Bank provides up to $6 billion to help Egypt and Tunisia modernize their economies so they provide more opportunity for their people.
Press Release | Zoellick Video
June
Closing Gaps in Infrastructure
The Bank Group seeks input into a new plan to close huge infrastructure gaps, as the fuel and food crises, water stress, rapid urbanization, and climate change increase the need for sustainable, low-carbon growth.
Transformational Infrastructure | Infrastructure Page-
June 9
Tapping Technology for Water Solutions
NASA and USAID bring state-of-the-art remote sensing technology to the challenge of managing scarce fresh water in the Middle East and North Africa.
Press Release -
July
Bank Responds to Horn of Africa Drought
The World Bank pledges $500 million to help more than 12.4 million people in 13 countries suffering from a deadly drought and food crisis. Assistance is later increased to $1.88 billion and will be used for safety nets, economic recovery, and drought resilience.
Horn of Africa Drought Website -
July 8
Kenya Opens Doors on Data
The World Bank supports an effort to make Kenya government data freely available. The Kenya Open Data Portal includes a full digital edition of the 2009 census, seven years of detailed government expenditure data and a 2005 household income survey.
WBI Story | Blog Post -
July 15
Conflict Center Opens in Nairobi
The World Bank opens the Global Center for Conflict, Security, and Development in Africa, home to 23 of the world’s most conflict-affected and fragile economies. The facility supports staff on the ground and eases their access to research tools.
Press Release | Fragile and Conflicted Countries -
August 22
Water, Sanitation Access Within Africa's Grasp
Millions of people could gain access to clean water and sanitation by 2015 if African countries assume a leadership role in service delivery, a report says.
Press Release -
September
Gender Equality: The Right Thing to Do
Gender is a main theme of the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings with the release of World Development Report 2012 and webcast "Open Forum," "Getting to Equal." The event, 24-hour chat, and Think Equal website draw 30,000 participants over a month.
Open Forum Webcast | Thinkequal on Facebook | WDR Website | Videos 
September
'Time for Muddling Through Is Over'
In a speech, World Bank President Robert Zoellick says all countries need to be "responsible stakeholders" in the world economy and act on today's problems while building for tomorrow's challenges.
Release | Video-
October 4
Tunisian PM Speaks at Bank Before Elections
Interim Tunisian Prime Minister Béji Caïd Essebsi says Tunisia is on the "right track" towards democracy and greater economic opportunity at an event just prior to the country's first democratic elections.
Transcript | Story | Video 
October 21
Technology Experts 'Hack' Water Solutions
The World Bank partners with the Water and Sanitation Program and Random Hacks of Kindness to host 48-hour water "hackathons" in 10 cities around the world.
Website | Geeking Out Solutions | Release-
October 21
Higher Education
Facing Challenges Reports on higher education in East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa suggest universities are falling short of their potential as a driver of growth and innovation.
Press Releases: East Asia | Middle East and North Africa | World Class Universities 
October 31
World Population Reaches 7 Billion
The U.N. Population Division determines the 7 billionth person was born October 31, 2011. It's a milestone that has implications for a range of global issues – including climate change, urbanization, food security, and access to health services.
Slide Show | Blog | Meet Maya-
November
Bank Launches Climate Portal, Apps Contest
Shortly before the U.N. climate change meeting in Durban, South Africa, the Bank launches a Climate Change Knowledge Portal with links to more than 250 climate indicators and risk profiles for 31 countries. A related "Apps for Climate" contest seeks to inspire innovation with World Bank data.
Climate Change Portal | Apps for Climate Contest 
November
Renewables Rise in Bank's Energy Lending
Renewables grow from $3.1 billion in 2008-09 to $4.9 billion in 2010-11 – about 23 percent of the Bank's overall lending to increase access to affordable energy in low-income countries.
Story | Study | Video
November 11
One Day on Earth
The One Day on Earth project asked citizens around the world to help film 24-hours in the human experience on November 11, 2011. Forty-eight flip cameras provided by the project were sent to World Bank country offices to answer one question: "What does it mean for you to have a job?"
Blog | One Day on Earth
November 29
The Future of Aid
Some 2,000 delegates meet in Busan, Korea, to discuss, among other things, the future of aid in a changing world, where traditional donors face tighter budgets and many former recipients of aid have become donors.
Busan Forum | Blog: The Future of Aid | Blog: Open Development-
December
Climate Change Meeting a Step Forward
The two-week U.N. conference on climate change in Durban ends with all countries agreeing to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change by 2015.
Story | Blog | Rachel Kyte's Tweets -
December 9
Gauging Progress on Anti-Corruption Fight
Under new procedures promoting greater transparency and accountability, the World Bank Group Sanctions Board announces it will begin publishing the full text of new legal opinions in cases concerning contractor corruption, fraud and collusion.
Opinions | Story | Live Q&A
