REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Global volatility due to COVID-19 is having a negative impact on Sub-Saharan Africa. The health, economic, and social impacts are costing the region between $37 billion and $79 billion in output losses in 2020, reducing agricultural productivity, weakening supply chains, limiting job prospects, and decreasing remittances—all contributing to uncertainty. Unprecedented locust swarms are further disrupting food security and livelihoods in East Africa. Economic growth is expected to contract from 2.4 percent in 2019 to between –2.1 and –5.1 percent in 2020, sparking the region’s first recession in 25 years. The pandemic is likely to push millions of households into poverty and could spark a food security crisis, with Africa’s agricultural production potentially contracting in the range of 2.6 to 7 percent. With almost 90 percent of the region’s workers in informal jobs, we also seek to help countries reach them with the support they need.  

World Bank assistance

In fiscal 2020, the Bank approved $20.8 billion in lending to the Africa region for 156 operations, including $1.7 billion in IBRD commitments and $19.1 billion in IDA commitments. Revenue from Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements with eight countries was $11 million.

We seek to help the region foster human capital and empower women, leverage digital technologies for trade and government effective­ness, maintain public investment and mobilize private financing in critical sectors, encourage job creation, and address the drivers and effects of climate change and conflict.

In fiscal 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Bank approved 28 new operations ($493 million) and redirected funding from 27 existing projects ($476 million) for Africa under the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program.

Powering Africa’s potential through its people

In April 2019, we launched the Africa Human Capital Plan, which sets out targets and commitments to boost the region’s potential through its human capital—the health, knowledge, skills, and resilience of its people. The plan aims to reduce child mortality and stunting and increase children’s learning outcomes by 20 percent. It also seeks to provide social protection to 13 million more people, empower women, reduce adolescent fertility rates, and improve sanitation practices.

Since the plan’s launch, we have doubled our commitments to boost human capital outcomes in the region, including $2.2 billion to empower women. The flagship Sahel Women Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project will soon reach nine countries with $675 million in Bank funding. It helps empower women and girls in the Sahel region by increasing their access to education and quality health care, boosting employment opportunities, and engaging religious and community leaders to amplify these results. To date, it has helped more than 100,000 girls go to school, trained more than 6,600 midwives, and implemented vocational training for nearly 100,000 women.

Supporting inclusive governance and transforming economies

Our work on governance and inclusion focuses on enabling efficient and inclusive delivery of public services and building institutions and systems that are resilient to economic, social, and environmental pressures. We help countries create sound conditions for investment and ensure continuity of state services, promoting progress toward sustainable development. Technology has also affected how governments operate and interact with citizens, improving transparency and service delivery. 

We leverage all sources of financing and expertise to help create an enabling environment for investors, particularly those in the private sector. This approach will open up more opportunities for governments and companies to scale up critical infrastructure, expand digital access, and generate employment. We are also working with countries to realize a rapid transition to the digital economy, which can boost productivity, increase financial inclusion, and create jobs. The region is working to connect every African individual, business, and government to the internet by 2030.

In March 2020, Somalia began receiving debt relief under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative to help the country reduce its debt from$5.2 billion at the end of 2018 to $557 million once it reaches the HIPC Completion Point in about three years’ time. The Bank played a strong role in helping Somalia achieve this milestone, including $140 million in pre-arrears clearance grants in fiscal 2019 and $475 million in development policy financing to strengthen state capacity, financial management, and transparency, and promote inclusive private sector–led growth.

Addressing the drivers of fragility and conflict 

Addressing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV) is a priority of the region’s Human Capital Plan, as these issues continue to limit opportunities. Access to education and vocational training is limited, leaving many young people with few marketable skills. Private sector growth is constrained, with few openings for job seekers. And security concerns limit the provision and quality of public service delivery. 

In fiscal 2020, we invested $2.5 billion in countries affected by FCV. In the Central African Republic, which has experienced cycles of violence and conflict since gaining independence in 1960, we have helped strengthen governance, public financial management, and service delivery following the signing of a peace agreement in February 2019. We also produced analytical work outlining ways for the country to realize inclusive growth, including by enhancing public services, strengthening the social contract, broadening the tax base, and modernizing the tax system.

We will build on this progress with more investments and high-quality interventions, including additional funding under IDA19 for cross-border programs in the Sahel, the Lake Chad region, and the Horn of Africa. These efforts will also seek to address the different risks and opportunities that women and men face in FCV situations. 

Supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation

With the poor in Africa hardest hit by climate change, investments in climate resilience are a top priority. The region has set new targets to support integrated landscape management of more than 60 million hectares in 20 countries, improve the livelihoods of 10 million farmers through climate-smart agriculture, and increase renewable energy generation capacity from 28 to 38 gigawatts.

The Africa Climate Business Plan (ACBP), launched in 2015, and the updated Next Generation ACBP are grounded in the Bank Group’s commitment to mainstream climate into development. As of December 2019, more than $30 billion of Bank financing has been delivered for 312 projects, exceeding the plan’s 2020 resource mobilization target. The updated plan builds on the achievements and lessons of the original ACBP to propel a bold vision for climate action at scale.

Stepping up to support regional integration in Africa 

The Bank Group is expanding support for regional integration, including fostering linkages with North Africa, to address the key priorities of the continent’s 54 countries. We are focusing on: strengthening connectivity through infrastructure development in transport, energy, and digital technology; supporting trade and building markets; improving human capital by providing opportunities for skills development, empowering women, and managing diseases and pandemics; and promoting resilience through work on farming and livestock, food security, climate change, displacement, and transboundary waters. We also aim to address the drivers of fragility in the Horn of Africa, the Lake Chad region, and the Sahel. 

The Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement Program covers 16 countries and provides $629 million in financing. It strengthens health systems and intercountry collaboration to detect and respond to outbreaks of communicable diseases. The Bank has also provided $250 million to help Ethiopia, Zambia, and the African Union implement the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention project, to counter the spread of infectious diseases and address regional and continent-wide public health issues. Both projects have now mobilized resources to help countries procure laboratory equipment and increase their capacities to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locust swarms are jeopardizing the food security and livelihoods of millions of people in the region. We are helping countries respond to this threat through the $500 million Emergency Locust Response Program, which provides support for monitoring and controlling locust populations, helping people safeguard their assets and cope with the economic impacts, and strengthening national preparedness systems. The program has provided financing to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Uganda to support their response efforts. 

Further Information: Africa Region Homepage >

 

Regional Commitments and Disbusements for Fiscal 2018–20

	Commitments ($ millions)			Disbursements ($ millions)
	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY18	FY19	FY20
IBRD	1,120	820	1,725	734	690	1,087
IDA	15,411	14,187	19,095	8,206	10,190	13,373
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2020: $88.2 billion.

SPOTLIGHT: Supporting refugees and host communities in Uganda

With a refugee population of 1.4 million, Uganda is Africa’s largest host of refugees and the world’s third largest. Despite the country having some of the world’s most progressive and generous refugee policies, refugees experience practical challenges in securing livelihoods and social services. This is due in part to their protracted presence and the fluid nature of new arrivals. These trends have increased demand for local services in hosting areas and on communities that are themselves underserved, underlining the need for long-term investments.

The Bank is supporting Uganda through the $150 million Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project, which secured financing from IDA’s sub-window for refugees and host communities. The project is improving access to basic social services, expanding economic opportunities, and upgrading social and economic infrastructure. It also supports natural resource management and environmental regeneration.

The project covers 14 districts in Uganda that host the largest number of refugees. It has a larger footprint in the north, where the focus is on graduating from an emergency response to a medium-term perspective; in the west and southwest, it centers on enhancing economic opportunities and integrating district and national service delivery systems. A Displacement Crisis Response Mechanism provides financing that enables the government to rapidly scale up education, health, and water supply services to poor and vulnerable communities that may face a rapid inflow of refugees.

In Koboko, northwestern Uganda, we are easing overcrowding and improving the learning environment in Lobule primary school by building new classrooms, with upgrades such as rainwater harvesting tanks, better lighting, and drainable latrines. In total, about 80 facilities have been built and nearly 100 are under construction; they include classrooms with modern furniture, teachers’ houses, health centers, public latrines, water harvesting tanks, and veterinary clinics. The project is also helping rehabilitate degraded lands, improve the sustainability of water sources, and maintain fertile croplands and forests. Renovations are becoming more user-friendly by using alternative energy, such as solar energy for lighting and water pumping, and better household cook stoves.

To help both refugees and host communities thrive, a livelihoods program is helping create, expand, and improve opportunities for people to earn income, including in value-added agriculture, fisheries, and charcoal and brick production.

The project is part of a larger regional effort to support communities hosting refugees in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. Through a community-driven development approach, it ensures citizen participation and engagement in identifying and prioritizing sub-projects that address urgent community needs, empowering not only the community but also grassroots institutions and decentralized government bodies. The project also seeks to address underlying social risks, including gender-based violence and violence against children. The overarching goal is to enhance social cohesion among refugee and host communities, improve social accountability, and integrate humanitarian and development programs for the benefit of all. 

 

Regional Snapshot

Indicator	2000	2010	Current Dataa
Total population (millions)	664	868	1,106
Population growth (annual %)	2.7	2.8	2.7
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	550	1,434	1,536
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	0.8	2.6	0
Population living below $1.90 a day (millions)	388b	405	420
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	52	58	63
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	49	55	60
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	565	765	848
Extreme poverty (% population below $1.90 a day, 2011 PPP)	55.4b	46.6	42.3
Debt services as a proportion of exports of goods and services	9	3	8
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	84	85	86
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	78	76	74
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	153	101	78
Primary completion rate (% relevant age group)	54	68	69
Individuals using the Internet (% of population)	<1	7	25
Access to electricity (% population)	26	34	48
Renewable energy consumption (% total final energy consumption)	73	72	70
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	23	27	31
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	46	55	61
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity. a. The most current data available between 2013 and 2019; visit http://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. 2002 data. For poverty estimates, see the regional groups on http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/data.aspx.

Regional growth decelerated to an estimated 2.2 percent in 2019, reflecting weakness in the region’s two largest economies, Russia and Turkey. It is expected to fall into negative territory in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the economic implications of COVID-19 are subject to significant uncertainty, scenarios suggest regional growth will contract by 4.7 percent in 2020 before rebounding in 2021, as policy measures are introduced, global commodity prices recover, and trade strengthens. 

The pandemic is occurring at an already fragile time for emerging and developing economies in Europe and Central Asia. Since February, the region has faced an uphill battle to cope with both the immediate health crisis and the long-term challenges caused by the pandemic. Most economies are experiencing major disruptions to social and economic activity and to global and regional supply chains, as well as significantly limited mobility, reduced travel and tourism, and decreased export demand.

World Bank assistance 

In fiscal 2020, the World Bank approved $7.2 billion in lending to the region for 64 operations, including $5.7 billion in IBRD commitments and $1.5 billion in IDA commitments. The Bank also signed 39 Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements with seven countries for a total of around $75 million.

We seek to support countries’ development goals, with a focus on boosting health outcomes, improving educational systems, promoting skills development, and achieving sustainable and resilient growth. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prioritizing stronger health sector capabilities and effectiveness, as well as social protection. Improvements in education outcomes complement initiatives in the health sector, helping clients bolster human capital development to ensure better livelihoods for people throughout their lives. We are partnering with countries in the region to help ensure their paths to growth are both equitable and sustainable, and that they can increase their resilience to climate change and mitigate its potential causes. In addition to financing, we are providing policy advice to help countries address the impacts of the pandemic and influence the volume, focus, and impact of government responses throughout the region.

In fiscal 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Bank approved 11 new operations ($740 million) and redirected funding from nine existing projects ($689 million) for Europe and Central Asia under the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program. 

Improving health care systems to improve effectiveness and save lives

The Bank helps countries enhance their health care systems through increased efficiency and upgraded facilities and equipment. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has accelerated the need for better health systems that can minimize loss of life and provide better health outcomes for all. In April 2020, we activated a EUR 15 million Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option operation for Serbia, which is helping strengthen the country’s institutional and legal frameworks to effectively manage the physical and fiscal impacts of health emergencies and natural hazards. This is allowing the country to rapidly access funding to address COVID-19.

In fiscal 2020, Tajikistan became the region’s first country to join the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescence, a global platform that aims to address health and nutrition issues more effectively by improving donor coordination and increasing efficiency in the use of domestic and international resources.

The Bank’s advisory services and analytics provide policy recommendations that help governments make informed decisions to address development priorities. Our April 2020 regional economic update assessed COVID-19’s impact on economic growth and recommended policy measures to boost health care systems, support small businesses, and enhance safety nets, especially for the poor and most vulnerable.

Boosting potential by investing in human capital 

Ensuring quality health care and providing adequate education are the cornerstones of human capital development and vital to preparing children to succeed and prosper as adults in a rapidly changing world. As shown by the Human Capital Index, individuals in Europe and Central Asia can achieve a high level of productivity during their life, backed by solid investment in human capital during their childhood and teenage years. We work with partners to drive targeted investments that can improve health and education outcomes and give people the opportunity to grow to their fullest potential. 

The Innovation, Inclusion, and Quality Project in Georgia is providing $103 million to expand access to preschool education and improve the quality of education and the learning environment at all levels. Through this project, 116,000 students around the country will gain access to better learning environments, 1,600 teachers and coaches will receive advanced training, and 65 new schools will be built. 

The $60 million Promoting Early Childhood Development Project is helping Uzbekistan improve preschool education, promote partnerships with the private sector, and enable the systematic measurement of education quality to better inform policy making, strategic planning, and monitoring. More than 1 million children—including 540,000 girls—will benefit from modern and child-friendly equipment, furniture, and learning materials. Over 20,000 preschool educators and staff are also being trained in new early childhood development approaches.

Strengthening resilience to climate change and natural disasters

Over the past 30 years, countries across Europe and Central Asia have experienced roughly 500 significant floods and earthquakes, resulting in 50,000 fatalities and affecting 25 million people. Nearly one-third of the region’s capital cities have been devastated by an earthquake or flood at some point, while droughts and other natural disasters continue to destroy livelihoods, with the poorest and most vulnerable disproportionally impacted by these events.

Several operations are helping countries mitigate disasters related to climate impacts, increase their preparedness, and enhance recovery efforts when disasters strike. We were the first international financial institution to help Croatia after an earthquake in March 2020. We assisted with a rapid needs assessment, and in June 2020, we approved the $200 million Earthquake Recovery and Public Health Preparedness Emergency Recovery Project. This will help with the rehabilitation of critical public services and the design of a financial support program for housing reconstruction. 

In Turkey, the $133 million Sustainable Cities Project is helping improve sustainable urban development through technical assistance, feasibility studies and environmental assessments, and infrastructure investments. Turkey is also using an additional $325 million through the Renewable Energy Integration Project to develop and strengthen infrastructure so that it can integrate wind plants into the transmission grid and connect wind energy with different parts of the country.

The North Macedonia Public Sector Energy Efficiency Project is providing $27 million to reduce energy consumption and support the development and implementation of a sustainable financing mechanism for energy efficiency in the public sector, benefiting nearly 97,000 people. The project will contribute to almost $4 million in energy savings annually and reduce consumption by roughly 2.5 billion megajoules over 20 years.

Fostering cooperation across the region

Through regional initiatives, we help foster cooperation, boost connectivity, and promote trade across borders. The $592 million Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project is creating conditions for sustainable electricity trading between Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. The $32 million Central Asia Regional Hydrometeorology Modernization Project is helping improve the accuracy of hydrological and meteorological services across Central Asia, while the multiphase ­Central Asia Regional Links Program is strengthening connectivity, trade, and logistics, and supporting sustainable tourism across the region. 

Further Information: Europe and Central Asia Region Homepage >

 

Regional Commitments and Disbusements for Fiscal 2018–20

	Commitments ($ millions)			Disbursements ($ millions)
	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY18	FY19	FY20
IBRD	3,550	3,749	5,699	4,134	2,209	3,100
IDA	957	583	1,497	298	931	365
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2020: $29.8 billion.

SPOTLIGHT: Promoting women’s inclusion and gender equality in Europe and Central Asia

No country can reach its potential with a large share of its population excluded from fully participating in the economy. However, in Europe and Central Asia, women make up slightly less than half of the labor force and earn, on average, 30 percent less than men. Women also have limited financial access and are less likely than men to have formal bank accounts, hold savings at financial institutions, or obtain loans. Women also face risks arising from domestic violence, sexual harassment at work, and job restrictions, resulting in limited voice and agency.

We help countries in the region remove the economic and social barriers that women confront and increase their formal participation in the labor force to improve livelihoods and boost economic growth. We developed a regional gender action plan to ensure that our operations effectively promote gender equality. The plan focuses on three pillars: (i) country-led strategic gender mainstreaming; (ii) research, innovation, and data generation; and (iii) communications, capacity building, and reporting.

In fiscal 2020, we committed about $5.3 billion to 42 operations in the region that identify gender gaps in their design and work to address them throughout the project cycle. In Albania, the $10 million Gender Equality in Access to Economic Opportunities Project is the Bank’s first development policy operation solely focused on gender. It supports efforts to enhance gender equality policies by recognizing property ownership, creating opportunities for women to generate income, and strengthening gender-informed policy making. In Uzbekistan, the $150 million Livestock Sector Development Project is helping integrate smallholder farms into modern supply chains to increase opportunities for women to earn income. In Moldova, the EUR 36 million Higher Education Project is promoting women’s enrollment in higher education programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by raising awareness and providing career guidance. These efforts have helped address gender disparities at the local, country, and regional levels throughout Europe and Central Asia.

 

Regional Snapshot

Indicator	2000	2010	Current Dataa
Total population (millions)	369	378	399
Population growth (annual %)	0	0.6	0.5
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	1,795	7,391	8,014
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	8.3	5	1.2
Population living below $1.90 a day (millions)	28b	12	6
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	73	75	78
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	62	66	70
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	2,610	2,935	2,979
Extreme poverty (% population below $1.90 a day, 2011 PPP)	6.0b	2.5	1.2
Debt services as a proportion of exports of goods and services	11	6	9
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	72	72	71
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	23	20	18
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	36	19	13
Primary completion rate (% relevant age group)	94	98	97
Individuals using the Internet (% of population)	2	35	73
Access to electricity (% population)	100b	100	100
Renewable energy consumption (% total final energy consumption)	5	5	6
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	86	91	94
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	93	95	96
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity. a. The most current data available between 2013 and 2019; visit http://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. 2002 data. For poverty estimates, see the regional groups on http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/data.aspx.

A series of shocks hit Latin America and the Caribbean over the past year, including social unrest, the collapse of international oil prices, and the COVID-19 crisis. GDP growth in the region (excluding Venezuela, where there is insufficient data) was 0.8 percent in 2019 and is expected to decline to –7.2 percent in 2020. Growth is expected to rebound to 2.8 percent in 2021.

We aim to protect the gains made during the region’s profound social transformation in the first decade of the 21st century, when the commodity boom and widespread growth cut poverty rates in half. Between 2003 and 2016, the share of the population living in extreme poverty fell from 24.5 percent to 9.9 percent. Since then, however, economic prospects have dimmed, and many people are at risk of slipping back into poverty. These risks are further exacerbated by the pandemic. 

World Bank assistance

The World Bank approved $7.8 billion in lending to the region for 67 operations in fiscal 2020, including $6.8 billion in IBRD commitments and $1.0 billion in IDA commitments. We signed six Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements with two countries for a total of $2 million. 

Our work in the region centers on three pillars. The first pillar focuses on inclusive growth by promoting greater productivity, competitiveness, transparency, and accountability; engaging with traditionally excluded groups, including Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, and rural communities; and attracting private investment. The second pillar emphasizes investing in human capital to prepare people for challenges and opportunities that come with the changing nature of work. The third pillar seeks to build resilience so that countries can better manage and withstand shocks, such as natural disasters, economic upheaval, migration, crime and violence, and infectious diseases. 

In fiscal 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Bank approved 10 new operations ($215 million) and redirected funding from 17 existing projects ($703 million) for Latin America and the Caribbean under the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program. 

Promoting inclusive growth

We are committed to promoting inclusive economic and social growth by increasing productivity, fostering accountability, and creating opportunities. We helped Mexico increase the connectivity of its biological corridors to conserve and protect the country’s biodiversity. This effort conserved more than 81,000 hectares through biodiversity-friendly practices, benefited nearly 13,000 producers, helped create over 42 business alliances with buyers, and established standards for biodiversity-friendly goods. In Honduras, the $30 million Rural Competitiveness Project helped boost productivity and competitiveness among small-scale producers by helping them engage in productive alliances. These producers saw an estimated 28 percent increase in incomes as a result, benefiting 7,200 rural families. In Colombia, Bank-supported policy reforms decreased air pollution in major cities by 24 percent, increased clean energy production in rural areas, and improved access to clean water for half a million people.

Investing in human capital 

We seek to ensure that everyone has access to the health and education they need to prosper and take advantage of the opportunities provided by inclusive growth and a rapidly changing jobs market. We helped improve education and health services in Haiti, which increased access to quality education for 240,000 children and to maternal and child health services for more than 1.2 million people. Our interventions also led to a significant interruption in cholera transmission—since January 2019, no laboratory-confirmed cases have been recorded. In Brazil, we strengthened the Bolsa Família conditional cash-transfer program, which benefited nearly 47 million people. The program also contributed to higher rates of school attendance, which reached 91 percent.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we approved new projects in Argen-tina, Ecuador, Haiti, and Paraguay, totaling $100 million, as part of the Bank Group’s fast-track facility. These interventions aim at minimizing loss of life and strengthening health systems. Additional responses included the activation of Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Options in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Panama.

Building resilience

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to build resilience to future pandemics and health crises. In May 2020, we approved a $500 million development policy loan to help Ecuador respond to the pandemic, eliminate constraints to private sector development, support economic recovery, and promote public sector efficiency and fiscal sustainability for the long term.

Latin America and the Caribbean also faces the highest frequency of natural disasters in the world, a vulnerability that climate change makes even more challenging. To address this, we focus on building better infrastructure that can weather storms and other disasters. In the Dominican Republic, we improved the quality of sanitation services for nearly 143,000 people through investments in new sewerage, wastewater treatment, and disposal infrastructure. In Haiti, we helped improve infrastructure and disaster preparedness, expand electricity access for more than 233,000 people, and build all-weather roads that will benefit more than 2 million people. The project also provided access to safer drinking water for more than 60,000 people. 

Employing advisory services, technical assistance, and convening power

The Bank provides advisory services, technical assistance, and in-depth analyses to support countries’ development goals, in addition to financing. A November 2019 report called attention to the challenges faced by countries that are absorbing the unprecedented flow of migrants from Venezuela. It provided a robust evidence-based tool to design policies that help both migrants and host communities. In Ecuador, we joined with the UN to gather data for addressing the education and health needs of the roughly 400,000 Venezuelan migrants in the country. 

We worked with the Central America Integration System, NASA, and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction to boost resilience in Central America by highlighting the links between governance, urban planning, climate change, and disaster risk management. In cooperation with the Inter-American Development Bank, we helped Honduras update its methodology for measuring poverty, paving the way for better targeting of social protection programs. In Colombia, our advisory services improved the management of the country’s education system and increased parental participation. In February 2020, we also hosted the Understanding Risk Central America Conference in Costa Rica, which brought together over 700 participants from 22 countries to promote innovations in disaster risk management and resilience.

Further Information: Latin America and the Caribbean Region Homepage >

 

Regional Commitments and Disbusements for Fiscal 2018–20

	Commitments ($ millions)			Disbursements ($ millions)
	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY18	FY19	FY20
IBRD	3,898	5,709	6,798	4,066	4,847	5,799
IDA	428	430	978	223	340	466
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2020: $31.0 billion.

 SPOTLIGHT: Responding to the Venezuelan migrant crisis

The Latin America and Caribbean region has seen an unprecedented refugee exodus as a result of the humanitarian, economic, and social crisis in Venezuela. By the end of 2019, almost 5 million people had left the country. About 80 percent of those migrants remained in other countries across the region, mainly Colombia (1.6 million), Peru (863,300), and Ecuador (385,000). 

The Bank is working to support the migrants and host communities through analysis, technical support, and financial resources. We also work to share knowledge and mobilize our convening power around this crisis, including through the Quito process on the margins of the UN General Assembly, a TEDx-sponsored event in Peru, and several high-profile Bank events.

In Colombia, we prepared the country’s first impact assessment of the Venezuelan migration to inform a national response policy and the Colombia National Development Plan. In January 2019, Colombia became eligible for the Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF). The Bank is providing a $750 million development policy loan that mobilized $32 million in GCFF co-financing to support Colombia’s fiscal sustainability and ­competitiveness amid the migration crisis. We are also supporting a health project, composed of a $150 million Bank loan and $38 million in GCFF financing, to strengthen the country’s health care system and support enrollment of migrants and refugees into the social security system. 

In November 2019, we launched a similar analysis of the impacts of Venezuelan migration in Peru. Along with UN agencies, we helped finance a national survey of the migrants and refugees by the National Institute of Statistics and Information, and supported other institutional, sectoral, and qualitative analysis. Given the disproportional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants and refugees, we are mobilizing resources to address their increasing needs, including through technical assistance to the government. 

We are also completing a fiscal impact analysis of Venezuelan migration in Ecuador. In collaboration with six UN agencies, we designed, implemented, and financed a national survey and focus groups to support the analysis of host and migrant communities. Ecuador also became eligible for the GCFF in 2019 and accessed $6 million in concessional financing in May 2020.

 

Regional Snapshot

Indicator	2000	2010	Current Dataa
Total population (millions)	493	559	614
Population growth (annual %)	1.5	1.1	0.9
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	4,021	7,832	8,355
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	2.3	4.8	-0.1
Population living below $1.90 a day (millions)	63b	36	28
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	75	77	78
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	68	71	72
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	1,237	1,562	1,658
Extreme poverty (% population below $1.90 a day, 2011 PPP)	11.9b	6.2	4.4
Debt services as a proportion of exports of goods and services	22	7	10
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	60	66	68
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	36	33	34
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	33	25	17
Primary completion rate (% relevant age group)	98	100	99
Individuals using the Internet (% of population)	3	34	66
Access to electricity (% population)	91	96	98
Renewable energy consumption (% total final energy consumption)	28	29	28
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	72	81	86
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	90	94	96
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity. a. The most current data available between 2013 and 2019; visit http://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. 2002 data. For poverty estimates, see the regional groups on http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/data.aspx.

Growth in the Middle East and North Africa contracted by 0.2 percent in 2019 and is expected to contract by 4.2 percent in 2020, although there is considerable ­uncertainty about this projection amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the associated collapse in global oil prices and tourism, and declining remittances. Output from the region’s developing-country oil exporters is expected to contract by 5.0 percent, while Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economic output is expected to fall by 4.1 percent. Reflecting a broad-based deceleration of tourism, remittances, and other critical sources of revenue, growth of the region’s oil importers is expected to contract by 0.8 percent.

In a region where two-thirds of the population is under 35, the rate of unemployed youth stood at nearly 25 percent even before the pandemic. Nearly half of the region’s population (42 percent) lives on an income below $5.50 per day. Extreme poverty (defined as living on an income below $1.90 per day) doubled from 2.4 percent in 2011 to 4.2 percent in 2015 due to conflicts and unequal access to education and basic infrastructure. The trend is expected to worsen as a result of COVID-19. 

The expected costs of the pandemic are about 3.7 percent of the region’s 2019 GDP, equivalent to well over $100 billion. In Yemen, the ongoing conflict is adding stress on the low-capacity health care system and increasing poverty, further compli­cating the response. 

World Bank assistance 

The World Bank approved $3.6 billion in lending to the region for 22 operations in fiscal 2020, including $3.4 billion in IBRD commitments and $203 million in IDA commitments. Another $103 million were provided for projects supporting the West Bank and Gaza. We delivered 140 Advisory Services and Analytics products, and revenue from Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements reached $65 million. The expanded advisory program continues to provide ongoing support to the reform process in the GCC countries. 

We are helping countries in the region stabilize their economies in response to the multiple shocks caused by COVID-19, the collapse of global oil prices, and slowdowns in local economic activity. We remain committed to helping countries transform their growth models by pursuing structural reforms that open up markets and create more and better economic opportunities for the region’s large youth population. We are doing this by helping countries harness human capital, leverage digital technologies, and create competitive markets. We also support peace and stability in the region by helping strengthen the social contract between citizens and governments, supporting regional markets, and strengthening resilience to prevent and mitigate the effects of conflict and climate change. 

In fiscal 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Bank approved seven new operations ($177 million) and redirected funding from 10 existing projects ($464 million) for the Middle East and North Africa under the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program. 

Renewing the social contract

The World Bank seeks to reinforce the bonds between citizens and the state by expanding employment and economic opportunities in the private sector, promoting citizen engagement, empowering vulnerable groups, improving public services, and strengthening governance. In Tunisia, the Bank provided $100 million to help the government leverage digital technologies and improve service delivery in social protection and education. The project aims to ensure that vulnerable populations—such as low-income groups, women in rural areas, people who are illiterate, and those with disabilities—have access to these services and that government systems enable greater citizen feedback to improve accountability. In Jordan, the $200 million Youth, Technology, and Jobs Project, which includes $37 million in financing from the Global Concessional Financing Facility, aims to increase young people’s access to jobs and expand digital government services. It seeks to capitalize on Jordan’s potential to grow its digital economy and absorb skilled labor to support economic growth and job creation. In the West Bank and Gaza, a $9 million project will help the Palestinian Authority invest in early childhood development by supporting prenatal care for pregnant women, child nutrition and growth monitoring, and early learning opportunities. This will include interventions to expand access to and enhance the quality of kindergarten education for Palestinian children. 

In February 2020, the Bank launched the report Convergence: Five Critical Steps Toward Integrating Lagging and Leading Areas in the Middle East and North Africa. It found that enhancing opportunities and social services in areas that are economically distant from large metropolitan centers is key for faster economic growth and social inclusion.

Expanding regional cooperation

The Middle East and North Africa remains the world’s least economically integrated region, with intraregional trade accounting for only 10 percent of total trade. The Bank focuses on developing regional markets by leveraging the region’s resources, labor, and capital. With support from the Arab Coordination Group and other partners, we are helping establish a regional energy market; the first phase is the Pan-Arab Electricity Market, which aims to connect countries’ electricity grids. This regional energy market, once fully interconnected and developed, would be the second largest after that of Europe. We are also expanding regional cooperation and fostering economic integration through the Horn of Africa Initiative, which is currently chaired by Djibouti and also includes Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Strengthening resilience to shocks

Climate vulnerabilities and the spillovers of conflict continue to exact a heavy toll in the region. The Bank is helping countries strengthen their capacities to respond to these shocks. In Morocco, a $275 million project will help the country strengthen its capacity to manage the financial impact of natural disasters and climate-related shocks and upgrade its institutional framework for disaster risk management. 

The Bank is supporting countries as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with emergency operations that focus on securing essential medical supplies for health systems. This support includes financing, policy advice, and technical assistance to help countries cope with urgent health needs and slow the spread of the disease. We are also working with partners to provide relief to individuals, communities, and businesses across the region to help stabilize incomes and spur economic recovery. 

Promoting recovery and reconstruction

We provide life-saving development assistance to communities devastated by conflict. This includes our program in Yemen, which has been enduring conflict since early 2015. Already the region’s poorest country before the conflict, Yemen is now suffering the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the UN. Fighting has devastated its economy, destroyed critical infrastructure, and led to food insecurity that is verging on famine. The country’s prospects are further threatened by the spread of COVID-19, extensive flooding, and locusts, all of which are pushing Yemen closer to catastrophe.

Our work here focuses on protecting livelihoods and supporting recovery by boosting institutional capacity, improving service delivery, providing assistance to the poor and vulnerable, creating temporary jobs, and supporting the private sector. In partnership with the UN, we have provided $1.8 billion to finance these efforts. 

The Bank continues to support reconstruction efforts in Iraq, where the Emergency Operation for Development Project is helping restore services and infrastructure in the country’s second largest city, Mosul, home to 4 million people. The efforts include the reconstruction of three bridges, which has reinstated access to health and education services, markets, and businesses for 1.5 million people and created employment opportunities. The project is also supplying and installing generators and cables to help restore electricity connections to 1 million people and businesses.

Further Information: Middle East and North Africa Region Homepage >

 

Regional Commitments and Disbusements for Fiscal 2018–20

	Commitments ($ millions)			Disbursements ($ millions)
	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY18	FY19	FY20
IBRD	5,945	4,872	3,419	3,281	4,790	2,415
IDA	430	611	203	569	647	151
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2020: $20.1 billion.

SPOTLIGHT: Closing the human capital gap in Egypt

The World Bank Group’s Middle East and North Africa Human Capital Plan seeks to improve outcomes through priority interventions, such as expanding investments in early childhood development, addressing learning poverty, improving skills, reducing the impact of non-communicable diseases, protecting vulnerable groups, strengthening resilience to crises, and closing gaps in learning for boys and in labor-force participation for girls. Supporting the regional approach are country-specific plans that focus on key challenges at the country level and identify areas for Bank Group support. Egypt, an early adopter of the approach, illustrates how countries in the region can raise the quality of health and education services and expand the reach of social safety nets.

The $500 million Supporting Egypt Education Reform Project aims to improve teaching and learning conditions in schools. It is helping increase access to quality kindergarten education, enhance the capacity of teachers and education leaders, develop a reliable student assessment system, and expand the use of modern technology and digital learning resources in teaching and learning. The project’s goal is to have 500,000 new students enrolled in kindergarten, with 50 percent from the poorest districts; teachers applying better practices; 2 million students benefiting from the new assessment system; and a reformed secondary school graduation system focused on building skills. 

Meanwhile, we provided additional financing of $500 million for a second phase of the Strengthening Social Safety Nets Project, which supports Egypt’s national cash transfer program. This program is the largest cash transfer operation in the Middle East and North Africa and among Egypt’s most significant investments in promoting human capital. It has reached over 3 million households to date, representing more than 8 million individuals, with over 67 percent of the cash directed to the poor and vulnerable and 74 percent of program cardholders being women. As part of these efforts, the Takaful program provides conditional, monthly family income support to protect poor households from the short-term negative impacts of economic reforms and shocks. It also encourages families to keep children in school and provides health care, including pre- and postnatal health services and the monitoring of children’s growth. The complementary Karama program provides monthly unconditional cash assistance to poor elderly citizens, people with severe disabilities and diseases, and orphans. Under the latest round of financing, the government is also preparing an initiative that will help promote livelihoods and boost economic inclusion across eight governorates.

In addition, we are providing $400 million to support Egypt’s health insurance system as the country works to achieve universal health coverage and improve outcomes. The project will help the government establish the foundation for universal health insurance, pilot it, and offer temporary financial protection to help the most vulnerable pay for expenses related to COVID-19. This builds on ongoing efforts to improve services at primary health care facilities and hospitals, support family planning, scale up a community health workers program, and facilitate screenings for hepatitis C, non-communicable diseases, and other risk factors. 

In March 2020, the Bank activated $8 million from the contingency emergency response component of this project to fund emergency response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Egypt, including implementation of a preventive plan to confront the pandemic. This comes in addition to a $50 million project that was launched under the Bank Group’s Fast-Track Facility for COVID-19, which aims to strengthen the prevention, detection, and response to the pandemic.

 

Regional Snapshot

 

Indicator	2000	2010	Current Dataa
Total population (millions)	279	333	389
Population growth (annual %)	1.8	1.8	1.7
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	1,568	3,993	3,861
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	3	3	1.2
Population living below $1.90 a day (millions)	10b	7	28
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	71	74	76
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	68	70	72
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	873	1,282	1,475
Extreme poverty (% population below $1.90 a day, 2011 PPP)	3.4b	2	7.2
Debt services as a proportion of exports of goods and services	12	6	10
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	24	26	26
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	35	32	31
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	45	29	24
Primary completion rate (% relevant age group)	81	89	90
Individuals using the Internet (% of population)	<1	21	60
Access to electricity (% population)	89	96	96
Renewable energy consumption (% total final energy consumption)	3	3	3
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	82	86	89
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	86	91	93
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity. a. The most current data available between 2013 and 2019; visit http://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. 2002 data. For poverty estimates, see the regional groups on http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/data.aspx.

In 2020, amid the global economic fallout triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, South Asia is experiencing its worst economic performance in the past 40 years. Regional growth is projected to contract by 2.7 percent in 2020, down from a previously projected growth rate of 6.3 percent. This negative forecast is expected to linger into 2021, with growth expected to hover around 2.5 percent. 

Fast growth in past years led to declining poverty and impressive improvements in health and education. But as of 2015, the proportion of people living on less than $1.90 a day was still an estimated 12.4 percent, or about 216 million people—a third of the global poor. South Asia is expected to see the largest increase in the number of extreme poor as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Multidimensional poverty in South Asia is also higher than the global average, and many countries suffer from extreme forms of social exclusion and significant infrastructure gaps. The region has also seen one of the largest refugee inflows in modern times, with more than 740,000 Rohingya refugees fleeing to Bangladesh since August 2017, according to UN estimates.

World Bank assistance

The World Bank approved $11.7 billion in lending to the region for 61 operations in fiscal 2020, including $5.6 billion in IBRD commitments and $6.1 billion in IDA commitments. We also delivered 122 advisory services and analytical products to eight countries, totaling $83 million, providing technical advice on issues such as energy sector reform, female labor force participation, and climate change.

We emphasize promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, investing in people, and strengthening resilience. Our assistance focuses on supporting policy reforms for private sector–led job creation; addressing stunting in child development; increasing female labor force participation; supporting refugees, returnees, and internally displaced persons; and addressing climate risks through disaster preparedness and management.

As part of our support to countries’ responses to COVID-19, we are helping them purchase vital protective equipment and medical supplies, provide learning to children, deliver cash transfers and food to the most vulnerable, support small and medium businesses, create jobs, and strengthen institutions for a more resilient recovery.

In fiscal 2020, in response to COVID-19, the Bank approved nine new operations ($1.7 billion) and redirected funding from 10 existing projects ($110 million) for South Asia under the global Strategic Preparedness and Response Program. 

Supporting sustainable growth and creating jobs

As it paves the way for recovery, South Asia can sustain high growth only if investments and exports both grow stronger. With an estimated 1.5 million people entering the job market every month over the next two decades, job creation is essential. A $120 million project in Nepal will improve employment services and labor market outcomes for nearly 100,000 youth, especially women. In Pakistan, an additional $700 million for the Dasu Hydropower Project will help lower the overall cost of the country’s energy generation, benefiting millions of users and making electricity more affordable. The hydropower plant will provide most of its electricity during the summer months, when demand is highest, helping reduce blackouts. In Afghanistan, a $99 million financing package is supporting two gas-to-power energy projects to increase the amount of electricity generated domestically while leveraging private financing for the energy sector. This package includes IDA guarantees and financing from the IDA18 Private Sector Window and leverages IFC loans and MIGA guarantees.

In India, a $210 million project in the state of Maharashtra will help smallholder farmers access emerging domestic and export markets, increase private sector investment in agricultural value chains, increase productivity, respond to price fluctuations, and build crop resilience. It will be implemented in all 36 state districts and benefit over 1 million farming households. At least 43 percent of participating farmers and workers are expected to be women.

Investing in people and supporting inclusive growth 

To boost human capital as a driver of growth, the Bank is helping the region improve access to and quality of education, address childhood stunting and malnutrition, strengthen health systems and services, and expand safety nets to protect the poorest people. In Pakistan, we committed $436 million to improve health and education services and social protection for poor and vulnerable households in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. These projects will increase the quality and uptake of health services, improve early childhood education, provide learning opportunities for children in primary and secondary school, and establish more efficient economic and social inclusion programs. In December 2019, we also convened the 100-day “Girls Learn, Women Earn” campaign, which focused on creating better learning and employment opportunities for Pakistani girls and women.

In Bangladesh, the $100 million Municipal Water Supply and Sanitation Project will help provide access to cleaner water sources and sanitation services for at least 600,000 people. It will also support hand-washing stations in several municipalities to improve hygiene, both as part of the effort to address COVID-19 and for the longer term.

Fostering resilience to conflict and climate change 

Conflict and fragility risks are increasing in South Asia, resulting in greater displacement. We are working with partners to provide basic services to the displaced and hosting communities. In Bangladesh, we approved three operations totaling $350 million to help address the needs of host communities and displaced Rohingya. Through three projects, we will provide nearly 4 million people with access to health, nutrition, and family planning services and address gender-based violence through preventive and response services.

The region is also highly vulnerable to climate impacts, including natural disasters and rising sea levels and temperatures. Addressing this requires building resilience at the local level. In India, an $80 million project will improve water management and increase agricultural productivity for more than 400,000 smallholder farmers, women, and pastoral communities in Himachal Pradesh. For the first time in South Asia, we extended a $10 million Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (CAT-DDO), which will help Maldives mitigate the risks and vulnerabilities associated with COVID-19. In Bhutan, $15 million in financing with a CAT-DDO will support reforms to manage climate and disaster risks, including disease outbreaks. In Nepal, we provided an additional $200 million to the Earthquake Housing Reconstruction Project. This will fund nearly 87,000 more houses in 32 districts affected by the 2015 earthquakes and provide grants for families to ensure rebuilt housing is earthquake resistant. In India, a $400 million project will help the government develop an institutional framework to manage the Ganga river basin and finance investments that address pollution in the basin’s urban areas.

Promoting regional integration 

The Bank supports cross-border trade, transport and energy connectivity, long-term water security, environmental sustainability, and resilience in South Asia, which remains one of the world’s least economically integrated regions. In Bangladesh, a $500 million program will expand and enhance a 260-kilometer national highway to support greater regional trade and help improve the livelihoods of over 20 million people in rural areas. A $50 million regional project will support a partnership to fight plastic pollution in transboundary river systems and the region’s shared seas.

Our report Unleashing E-Commerce for South Asian Integration analyzed how e-commerce can become a driver of growth and boost trade. By increasing the use of e-commerce, the region could help increase competition and firms’ productivity, increase market access, and strengthen commercial linkages between countries.

Further Information: South Asia Region Homepage >

 

Regional Commitments and Disbusements for Fiscal 2018–20

	Commitments ($ millions)			Disbursements ($ millions)
	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY18	FY19	FY20
IBRD	4,508	4,011	5,565	1,698	2,598	3,158
IDA	6,153	4,849	6,092	3,835	4,159	5,235
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2020: $58.3 billion.

SPOTLIGHT: Sustaining Afghanistan’s Development Achievements 

Over the past two decades, Afghanistan has achieved impressive development gains under challenging circumstances. The country has made progress in delivering public services, reducing infant mortality, improving enrollment in education, and expanding access to electricity. However, Afghanistan has been hit hard by COVID-19, compounding the challenges of continued insecurity and political uncertainty. Economic growth is expected to drop sharply in 2020, with the vast majority of the country’s population falling below the poverty line due to the pandemic’s severe impacts on incomes and jobs.  

Continued international aid is vital to support Afghanistan’s recovery and protect development gains. The Bank is a major development partner, providing support to the poorest people and helping the government build and strengthen institutions. This partnership includes our work administering the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund on behalf of 34 donors.

At the onset of COVID-19, we fast-tracked financial assistance to mitigate the pan­demic’s health, social, and economic impacts. A $100 million emergency project is enhancing health service delivery and providing personal protective equipment and medicines to health workers and patients. A $200 million emergency project, co-financed by IDA and the trust fund, is supporting faster recovery and keeping basic infrastructure—such as water, electricity, and telecommunications—up and running.

Beyond the pandemic, projects co-financed by the trust fund are helping improve health and education outcomes and protect livelihoods across the country. Through the Eqra Project, we are working to expand access to primary and secondary education, particularly for girls. A separate project is helping improve the quality and relevance of higher education; as a result, between 2015 and 2020, enrollment in key disciplines, such as economics and law, increased from 64,200 to 81,900. We are also improving access and quality for health, nutrition, and family planning services. In agriculture, projects we support have helped rehabilitate nearly 200 irrigation schemes, benefiting 425,000 farmer households; financed more than 35,500 hectares of new pistachio and fruit orchards in 34 provinces; rehabilitated 32,000 hectares of existing orchards; and established 143,000 kitchen gardening programs.

There is still a long way to go. The coming years will be critical in helping the country’s institutions strengthen their capacity to deliver basic services. Working with donor countries through the trust fund, we will continue to play a key role in safeguarding Afghanistan’s development gains.

 

Regional Snapshot

Indicator	2000	2010	Current Dataa
Total population (millions)	1,391	1,639	1,836
Population growth (annual %)	1.9	1.4	1.2
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	446	1,153	2,019
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	2	6.2	3.6
Population living below $1.90 a day (millions)	556b	404	275
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	64	68	71
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	62	66	68
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	1,181	1,978	2,737
Extreme poverty (% population below $1.90 a day, 2011 PPP)	38.5b	24.6	16.1
Debt services as a proportion of exports of goods and services	15	3	5
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	36	33	31
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	80	78	70
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	94	62	42
Primary completion rate (% relevant age group)	69	87	92
Individuals using the Internet (% of population)	<1	7	30
Access to electricity (% population)	57	73	92
Renewable energy consumption (% total final energy consumption)	53	42	38
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	20	43	59
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	80	87	92
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity. a. The most current data available between 2013 and 2019; visit http://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. 2002 data. For poverty estimates, see the regional groups on http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/data.aspx.