183 days of risk — and the investments fighting back
World Bank Newsletter
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June 5, 2026 The Fragility Forum (June 8–10) opens this week with an urgent warning: decades of progress against extreme poverty could reverse by 2030. Conflict and violence are reshaping where and how the poorest people live. The Forum’s sessions will confront this and other strategic challenges while offering practical knowledge, including lessons learned and new ideas from the World Bank Group, partners, governments, and donors. Across the Caribbean, risk intensifies with each hurricane season. For 183 days each year, these economies brace for storms that could wipe out a decade of job gains. To counter this, $235 million in World Bank Group resilience investments is already at work, helping 11 countries rebuild and protect critical infrastructure when disaster strikes. Disasters can be slow-moving, too. Air pollution claims 5.7 million lives annually and costs nearly 5% of global GDP — but new, targeted policies are proving that cleaner air delivers measurable economic returns. Health is another area we can’t afford to overlook — especially because 4.5 billion people lack essential health services. As AI becomes more sophisticated, it can help identify treatment options, support frontline workers, and reach patients in places where resources are stretched thin. Across sectors and regions, the pattern is clear: Even with smart solutions and targeted investments in place, risk is rising. Next week, our latest Global Economic Prospects report will lay out what that means for the global economy, and what we can expect in the months ahead. Stay tuned!
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 Decades of progress on extreme poverty are worth protecting — and that's exactly what the World Bank Group's Fragility Forum is about. Join global leaders June 8-10 as they chart coordinated action to anticipate risks, create jobs, and expand economic opportunity in the places that need it most. Follow live in Washington, D.C., or online.
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EDITOR'S PICKS |
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For 183 days a year, Caribbean economies operate under hurricane warnings. When disaster strikes, the losses aren't just physical — years of job gains can vanish overnight. Our Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit has put $235 million to work across 11 countries since 2020, creating 5,500 emergency jobs and restoring 4,500 hectares of farmland.
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The case for clean air isn't just rooted in the importance of people’s health and well-being — it’s about economics, too. Pollution costs the world nearly 5% of GDP annually and claims 5.7 million lives. Three decades of World Bank Group clean air work show that targeted investment delivers: in Greater Cairo alone, waste burning incidents dropped by nearly two-thirds in a year.
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AI won't replace health workers — but it can make their efforts to help people far more effective. From rural Ethiopia to urban Brazil, "small AI" tools aid nurses and community workers in detecting disease, diagnosing symptoms, and reaching patients who would otherwise go without care.
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WATCH AND LISTEN |
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 The World Bank Group’s Suppliers Hub connects firms of all sizes to procurement opportunities across 1,600+ active projects in 100+ countries — from civil works and consulting to IT. |
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DATA FOR DEVELOPMENT |
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IN THE NEWS |
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
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June 8 - 10, 2026 | Hybrid |
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June 11-12, 2026 | Hybrid |
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Accredited journalists may obtain advance access to reports and information by registering with the Bank’s Online Media Briefing Center, a password-protected site for working journalists. Material in this newsletter is copyrighted. Requests to produce it, in whole or in part, should be addressed to pubr...@worldbank.org. For more information visit our website: worldbank.org. |
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