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World Bank: International Food Prices Hit Four-Year Low

New World Bank Group tool focuses on preparedness for potential future crises. International prices of food decreased by 6 percent between April and August 2014, reaching a four-year low, according to the latest edition of Food Price Watch. This sharp decrease

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UN Reports Potential for Gradual Return to Global Growth, Foresees Risks, Uncertainties

Global economic growth is forecast to continue increasing over the next two years, the United Nations reported today, despite legacies from the financial crisis continuing to weigh on growth, and the emergence of new challenges, including geopolitical conflicts such as

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Trade Balance of Developing and Developed Countries Continues to Converge, UNCTAD Statistics Show

UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics 2014 shows that developing and transition economies run large trade surpluses for merchandise and services trade. Geneva, 9 December 2014 – Developing economies ran a combined merchandise and services trade surplus for 2013 of $177.6 billion,

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Mozambique Gets US$110 Million from World Bank to Improve Business Environment, Public Financial Management, and Social Protection

WASHINGTON — The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today US$110 million to support the Government of Mozambique’s State Budget and its poverty reduction plan (PARP). This International Development Association (IDA) funding is provided under the tenth Poverty Reduction Support

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New World Bank Initiative to Help End Wasteful Energy Subsidies

A new World Bank-ESMAP facility helps countries develop and implement effective, sustainable energy subsidy reform programs that protect the poor from the impact of higher energy prices. Such subsidies primarily benefit higher-income earners rather than the poor, but if subsidies

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How Thailand’s Solar Power Visionary Built an Industry with a Boost from IFC

One of the winners of this year’s UN Momentum for Change awards has been transforming Thailand’s renewable energy capacity with utility-scale solar farms. To get finance flowing for what was then a new industry in the country, she worked with

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Clean Undustrialisation Critical for Africa to ‘Leapfrog’ Outdated Technologies

Africa needs a green, clean industrialization that leapfrogs outdated, polluting processes and platforms and benefits from new technologies, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today as the world body marked Africa Industrialization Day. In a statement on the Day, Mr. Ban

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WB, Vietnam Sign US$ 500 Million Loan to Improve Energy Efficiency

Hanoi, November, 2014 – The State Bank of Vietnam and the World Bank today signed a US$ 500 million loan for a US$ 731.25 million operation in support of Vietnam’s energy sector. The investment will fund construction of over 1,000

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Working Together to Boost Innovation in Central Europe and the Baltics

Innovation is a critical driver of long-term economic growth and the right public policies are crucial to boost innovation. Through lending projects and advisory services, the Bank is assisting new European Union member states and candidate countries to unlock their

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Executives: Smart Carbon Pricing Policies Can Drive Investment in a Cleaner Future

The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Synthesis Report warns of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 70 percent by 2050, on pace for carbon neutrality by the end of the century. Businesses know how to cut emissions and

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