Slovenia’s economy has been resilient in the face of successive external shocks, including the evolving conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Sustaining growth will require strengthening public finances, boosting investment, enhancing resilience to trade shocks and harnessing the opportunities offered by AI, accordi...
Research examining fertility costs, preventive healthcare access and workplace inequalities has received top recognition under the 2026 APEC Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Research Prize, highlighting the growing importance of health policy in supporting women’s economic participation across the Asia-Pacific.Professor Zhu Zhaofang, Head of the Strategic...
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2026—The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors today discussed a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Poland for the period 2026-2031. The program will help Poland build a more innovative and competitive economy, mobilize private investment, create better jobs, and support the country’s next phase of growth.Over the...
GDP growth in the G20 area was unchanged at 0.7% in the first quarter of 2026, according to provisional estimates. This reflects a mixed picture across G20 countries for which data was available.Download in PDF (data tables included)GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth in the G20 area was unchanged at 0.7% in the first quarter of 2026, according to provisio...
On June 9 and 10, 2026, the Board of Directors (Board) of the New Development Bank (NDB) convened its 51st Meeting at the Bank’s Headquarters in Shanghai, China.Program for Upgrade of Infrastructure for Metropolitan Municipal ServicesThe Board approved a loan of up to USD 1 billion to the Republic of South Africa for the implementation of the Program for ...
9:00Registration9:30Opening keynoteChristine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank 9:50Keynote speechMarkus Brunnermeier, Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Economics, Princeton University10:20Session 1Fostering digital finance in EuropeHow can public and private institutions embrace digital finance innovations and the opportunities this will b...
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 15, 2026—The World Bank Group, through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has closed its second securitization transaction under the Emerging Markets Securitization Program (EMSP), marking continued progress in mobilizing private capital to support private sector growth and build a scalable market for institutional investm...
Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening new possibilities for how cities deliver services, make decisions, and manage complex systems. For municipalities, the question is no longer whether AI will play a role, but how to engage with it in a way that is useful, responsible, and aligned with their existing priorities. To support this shift, the United N...
The OECD unemployment rate held steady at 5.0% in April 2026, a level it has hovered around since February 2022.Download in PDF (data tables included)The OECD unemployment rate held steady at 5.0% in April 2026, a level it has hovered around since February 2022 (Figure 1). The number of unemployed individuals in the OECD was broadly stable at 35.1 million ...
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) held their 33rd Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting on Thursday, 11 June 2026 in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia.ASEAN and the EU reviewed recent developments in their respective regions since the last JCC Meeting held on 16 June 2025, including the challenging global geopo...
