The IMF’s April 2025 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa presents a clear warning: regional growth is slowing, debt pressures are mounting, and donor assistance is declining. Yet the report outlines critical opportunities particularly in domestic revenue mobilization, structural reform, and private sector activation that can shape a more resilient …
ANTHONY MCMICHAEL heads the International Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University, and is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He talks to VIBHA VARSHNEY and MARIO D'SOUZA about the health risks from global environmental changes What are the impacts of climate change …
The state government is taking out a massive immunisation programme to protect adolescent girls against cervical cancer. This is the first programme of its kind in the country and is being undertaken with the help of the World Health Organisation. "We are going to take up a pilot project in …
Leading figures from the United Nations met in Switzerland on Monday to chart a solution to dramatic food price increases that have caused hunger, riots and hoarding in poor countries around the world. Vietnam acted to quell panic over rice supplies on Monday, banning speculation in the market after a …
The World Bank is considering providing $6 million for Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) to develop an enabling environment for hydropower business in Pakistan. According to WB sources, the component will build the capacity of the Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF), in particular the new water cell tasked with developing …
Editorial THE statement made by the head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) last week that the global food crisis could lead to civil war in some countries and requires a complete revamping of the international food system is both timely and welcome. For too long, the conventional wisdom …
Energy is the lifeline of economic development, but unfortunately, Pakistan has historically suffered from energy shortages and demand suppression because of limited supplies and lack of adequate infrastructure development for provision of energy to the industrial sector. Furthermore, the capacity of Pakistan's existing reservoirs (Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma) has declined …
The Himachal Pradesh government has started deliberations with the World Bank over earning carbon credits from the forest cover of the state. The credits would come as financial gains in return of effective sequestration of carbon emissions done by state forests. A high-level delegation, comprising Additional Chief Secretary Avay Shukla, …
Egypt is to review its food subsidy system as it seeks ways to tackle rising inflation, which reached 14.2 per cent in March. Youssef Boutros-Ghali, finance minister, told the Financial Times that the government would look to raise additional revenues through new taxes or increasing existing taxes. However, he said …
Britain will push for changes in European Union biofuels targets if a review of British policy shows rising biofuels production drives up food prices and harms the environment, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Tuesday. Brown is due to meet development experts and retail and farmers' representatives later on Tuesday …
High food prices are today a serious humanitarian concern. They are also a source of macroeconomic instability affecting budgets, trade balances and, of course, incomes almost everywhere in the world. Global rice prices have increased more than 50 per cent so far this year and most other food prices are …
The Communist Party of Bangladesh general secretary, Mujahidul Islam Selim, on Sunday said the interim government had breached food security at the prescriptions of the World Trade Organisation and the World Bank. This has increased rice prices although there is no supply shortage of rice, he said as he addressed …
A warning from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the possible consequences of the rise in global food prices, together with the plight of the world's poorest nations, dominated the start of a major U.N. trade conference Sunday in Ghana's capital. "If not handled properly, this food crisis could trigger …
Global food shortages have taken everyone by surprise. What is to be done? Reuters SAMAKE BAKARY sells rice from wooden basins at Abobote market in the northern suburbs of Abidjan in C
Food prices are causing misery and strife around the world. Radical solutions are needed PICTURES of hunger usually show passive eyes and swollen bellies. The harvest fails because of war or strife; the onset of crisis is sudden and localised. Its burden falls on those already at the margin. Today's …
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) will seek non-sovereign loans of around Rs. 1,600 crore each from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to fianance the expansion and modernisation programme, company Chairman and Managing Director R. P. Singh said here on Thursday. Addressing press persons, Mr. Singh …
World Bank is considering to provide 30 million dollars grant for improvement in water resources management and development in Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda). According to official sources, the Wapda will co-ordinate the large investments in water projects and to expand the electricity network across Pakistan. Consistent with this …
The Stern report on climate change underestimated the risks of global warming, its author said on Wednesday, and should have presented a gloomier view of the future. "We underestimated the risks ... we underestimated the damage associated with temperature increases ... and we underestimated the probabilities of temperature increases,' Lord …
Rising food prices and their threat to political stability and development gains captured the attention of world economic leaders meeting here, with a call to arms launched by the World Bank. The issue steadily gained prominence during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings over the weekend that …
Free Food Trade Threatens Environment, Poor - Report UK: April 16, 2008 LONDON - Food trade liberalisation in developing countries can hurt attempts to alleviate poverty and damage the environment, according to a report from a United Nations and World Bank sponsored group issued on Tuesday. "Opening national markets to …
The Doha round of global trade negotiations has been stalled since 2001 because developing nations have refused to lower import tariffs that protect their farmers and rich countries won't give up farm-price supports. Now, import duties are being slashed from Brazil to Burkina Faso in response to prices that the …
