World Bank Podcasts

http://www.worldbank.org/ - Developing countries are headed for a year of disappointing growth, as first quarter weakness in 2014 delays an expected pick-up in economic activity, according to the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report. Bad weather in the US, the crisis in Ukraine, and political strife in several middle-income economies are all contributing to a third straight year of sub 5 percent growth in developing countries.

Entrepreneurship is booming in Nepal, helped by a modernization project at the country's Office of Company Registrar that has streamlined the process by which private and public limited companies are registered and file their annual reports. A new computer system, with the support of the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC), has made it easier for start-ups to register at http://www.ocr.gov.np. To learn more, visit: http://www.ifc.org/southasia http://www.facebook.com/IFCsouthasia http://www.twitter.com/IFC_SouthAsia

http://www.worldbank.org/ - On the final leg of a four-day Middle East trip, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim traveled to the Zaatari refugee camp, which has 103,000 Syrian residents who fled the three-year-long war, and met with senior Jordanian officials, including His Majesty King Abdullah and Prime Minister Dr. Abdullah Ensour. At the refugee camp, Kim said that Syria's neighbors, especially Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, have shown incredible generosity in allowing more than 2 million refugees into their countries. But he said as a result Jordan and the other countries were under great stress in nearly every sector -- water, electricity, health, and education -- and now was the time for the global community to step up its help to the host communities.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - While the war in Syria shows no sign of abating, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today told an audience of students and policymakers in Lebanon that it was time to "prepare for peace" in Syria and surrounding countries, citing similar efforts that began 70 years ago before the end of World War II.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - Beirut, Lebanon - World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim visited an elementary school in Beirut that was once 95 percent Lebanese students and now has a majority of students from Syria, whose families fled the war. The visit, taken during a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan, illustrated the increasingly burden felt by Lebanon, where more than one million Syrians have fled to escape the war. Kim called on the international community to step up its support of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and other countries that have taken in the refugees.

http://www.worldbank.org - International prices of food increased by 4 percent in recent months and the World Bank Group is concerned that food riots could lead to political instability in some regions.

Lamay, Peru -- In this Andean town outside Cuzco, I traveled with Peru's First Lady Nadine Heredia to the San Luis Gonzaga primary school. This school, and many others in the area, have had poor learning outcomes. But I was impressed by the government's and the school's commitment to improve, which will be critical in the efforts to reduce inequality and boost shared prosperity in Peru. Listen to this blog from a second-grade classroom to learn more.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - October 31, 2013 - Istanbul - On my first trip to Turkey, I met the country's political leaders, business executives, and civil society organizers -- and some of the World Bank Group staff. We have 250 staff in Turkey, of which 200 are in the regional hub of IFC, our private sector arm. While Turkey faces many challenges, I came away very impressed with many of the nation's accomplishments during the last decade. To learn more, listen to this audio blog.

http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/gender - Girls with little or no education are far more likely to be married as children, suffer domestic violence, live in poverty, and lack a say over household spending or their own health care than better-educated peers, which harms them, their children, and communities, a new report by the World Bank Group finds.

http://www.infoDev.org/mobile - A female-run startup in Dakar has created the most popular event guide to Senegal's capital. The cellphone app is a must for partygoers and tourists alike.

http://www.worldbank.org/southasia - In this mountainous region of India, towns can thrive or fail depending on the quality of their roads. The World Bank Group is helping construct new roads and repair old ones, so improved transportation can boost intra-regional trade and prosperity, improving lives along the way.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - November 7, 2013 - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - President Jim Yong Kim arrived in the Sahel on a four-country trip thinking of the trouble in the region: drought, hunger, and conflict. He left impressed by the political leadership and the resolve of the people. To learn more, please listen to this audio blog.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - November 6, 2013 - Timbuktu, Mali - Months after a rebel attack was rebuffed in Mali, the country is striving to stabilize in order to fight poverty and boost shared prosperity. President Jim Yong Kim visited the West African nation with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to underline international commitment to the region.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - November 6, 2013 - Dakar, Senegal - One of the most important pieces in our new strategy is that all parts of the World Bank Group need to work together more closely. In Dakar, President Jim Yong Kim visited a new toll road that has cut down commuters' travel time and shows signs of boosting economic development at various exits. The project was supported by IDA, our fund for the poorest, and the IFC, our private sector arm. Please listen to learn more.

http://www.worldbank.org - World Bank economist Bert Hofman's favorite number is 7. That's the indicative growth target of China's 12th Five Year Plan. Such a target would allow more balanced, sustainable growth, which is good for China and for the World. 'My Favorite Number' shows that economists are not just about numbers -- they bring passion, introspection and even humor to help the world stay on track.

http://www.worldbank.org/ - December 5, 2013 - Seoul, Republic of Korea - President Jim Yong Kim was born in Korea in 1959, a time when the per capita income was not much more than $100. Today, Korea's gross national income is roughly $23,000 per person. Everywhere President Kim travels in the developing world, leaders ask him, how did Korea lift itself out of such dire straits? One of the reasons is that many Koreans are never satisfied with success; they always seek improvement. Listen to this blog to learn more.

http://www.worldbank.org - January 26, 2014 - Yangon, Myanmar - The government here has put forward ambitious plans to dramatically increase access to electricity and health care, especially in rural areas. Both are huge problems; some 70% of all people in Myanmar do not have access to electricity, and public health issues, including the spread of TB, need to be more effectively curtailed. What can we do about these problems? Actually, quite a bit. Listen to the podcast from the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon to learn more.

http://www.worldbank.org - January 23, 2014 - Davos, Switzerland - The theme of this year's World Economic Forum here involves income inequality and how to close the wide gap between rich and poor. I think this is a smart choice for the meeting, which attracts some of the most powerful and wealthiest people in the world. But to battle income inequality, you need a serious plan. Listen to this podcast from Davos to hear what we recommend as a smart plan of action.

www.esmap.org/ - For most people, charcoal means summer and barbecue with friends and family. Well in Senegal, charcoal and cheap efficient charcoal burning stoves are the main links in a new economy. Listen to the podcast to learn how charcoal helps to improve lives in Senegal.

http://www.worldbank.org - Costa Rica has become a world leader in agricultural and forestry practices that help reduce global warming by reducing carbon output -- but the real winners are ranchers and farmers who say environmentally sound practices save them money and benefit their livestock, their crops and their livelihoods.