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WGB Launches New Country Partnership Framework to Support Azerbaijan’s Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Growth

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors today discussed and endorsed the 2015-2020 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Azerbaijan. This CPF represents a five year joint strategy of the World Bank Group comprising the International Bank for Reconstruction and

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Volatility in Chinese Stock Values: Potentially Much More Dangerous than a Greek Tragedy?

The problems facing the global economy in the event of a Greek exit from the euro zone could be dwarfed into insignificance by downward movements on the Chinese Stock Markets. In 1989, Margaret Thatcher  famously declared:  “You can’t buck the

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World Bank: Asian Countries are among Top Achievers on Sustainable Energy Progress

Asian countries are making a vital contribution to achieving global sustainable energy goals, a new World Bank report finds. But while the region performs strongly on ensuring electricity access for people and using more modern renewable energy, there is room

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The Time Is Now: Paradigm Shift Signals Opportunity

Few people realise that in 2013 a turning point was reached. In that year, emerging economies displaced developed markets as the main engines of global economic growth. This was not a one-off event or an oddity: it signalled no less

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IFC: The Art and Science of Benefits Sharing

Non-renewable natural resource projects – that is oil, gas, and minerals – are usually seen as part of a nation’s wealth. Accordingly, their use for the long-term sustainable development of a country is a prime objective of any legitimate government.

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Otaviano Canuto, World Bank Group: BRICS Apart as Oil Prices Plunge

The oil price plunge since last June has been deemed, overall, as a boon for the global economy. However, that depends on where one stands as a producer or user, as illustrated here with the divergence of impacts on BRICS

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Proposed China Pakistan Economic Corridor: With a Price Tag of $46 billion

China’s president Xi Jinping arrived in Islamabad on Monday 20 April for talks with Pakistani president Nawaz Sharif, to address parliament and make clear to the world a very obvious power shift from West to East. Xi Jinping has agreed

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World Bank Group Increased Support for Reforms to Accelerate Economic Growth

Annette Dixon, new Vice President of World Bank Group’s South Asia Region made an introductory visit to Pakistan from April 1 to 4, 2015. She called upon Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and met with the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and

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Government of India and World Bank Sign $500 Million Agreement to Improve Access to Finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

The Government of India and the World Bank today signed a $500 million loan agreement for the MSME Growth Innovation and Inclusive Finance Project to improve access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) working in the manufacturing

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Seven Days of Mourning for Lee Kuan Yew, Architect of Modern Singapore

Singapore is now mourning its founding father, Lee Kuan Yew who died from pneumonia on March 23rd, aged 91 years.  This towering giant of the region ruled his country for three decades overseeing the country’s independence from Britain (1963), its

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