10. Speeches of World Bank Presidents [collection under construction]

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Recorded Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the World Government Summit 2022

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-03-30) Malpass, David

This report discusses the remarks delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the World Government Summit 2022. He discusses: Middle East and North Africa (MENA) will soon be the epicenter of the upcoming climate action discussions, with Egypt hosting COP27 and UAE COP28. From a global perspective, more access to clean energy will be critical for development. 760 million people, many of whom live in the poorest countries, remain without access to electricity. Regional cooperation on energy can bring GCC financing and expertise to the rest of the MENA region. With the current situation in commodity markets, the fiscal bill for fuel subsidies will crowd out many other activities if left unreformed.
Education for Growth and Prosperity

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-02-13) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, explained that the MENA Concessional Financing Facility, an innovative approach to addressing the Syrian refugee crisis, has been re-envisioned as a Global Facility to address displacement crises in any middle-income country in the world. He spoke about the importance of education, as the key for economic growth, competitiveness, and social cohesion. It is also the foundation for innovation and development, and opens the way for lifelong opportunities, which are essential for long-term peace and stability. In our rapidly changing world, the nexus of business, government, and education will be critical to build thriving societies. Countries can channel policy, markets, and learning into growth and prosperity for their people.
Fulfilling Iraq's Potential

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-03-26) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, noted that even in the face of substantial challenges, democracy is taking root in Iraq. He believes that Iraq’s success can bring stability and prosperity to hundreds of millions of people. He discussed three critical steps that Iraq must continue to build the foundations of an inclusive society. First, look beyond the traditional social, cultural, and geographic boundaries in Iraq. Empower all its regions, and give more capacity to local government, all the way to the municipal level. Second, Iraq needs to diversify its economy. Third, Iraq needs to put its economic house in order, reducing waste of precious resources, strengthening accountability, and undertaking important, necessary reforms. In the energy sector, for example, reforms must address subsidies which contribute to chronic and pervasive shortages of electricity. He concluded by saying that through war, violence and strife, the Iraqi people have shown the world the meaning of resistance, resilience, courage, and nobility.
Remarks at the World Government Summit

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2016-02-08) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, remarked that for more than 60 years, the World Bank Group has been working with governments in developing counties to reduce poverty and promote human dignity. Good governance is the foundation for all development. Delivering quality public services and creating conditions that encourage businesses to create jobs are fundamental to building opportunity and prosperity for all. The global landscape suggests that reaching these objectives won’t be easy. Economic growth, the most powerful poverty reduction force the world has ever known, is slowing globally. Many emerging markets are suffering sharp reductions in growth because of declining demand from China and lower commodity prices. Warmer temperatures potentially linked to climate change made 2015 the hottest year in history; and the most powerful El Niño on record is affecting the lives and livelihoods of billions across the globe. Many parts of the world are becoming more fragile, making quality leadership and good governance ever more important.
Remarks at MENA Stakeholders Event, Lima, Peru, October 10, 2015

( 2015-10-10) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group discusses conflicts that have caused a devastating amount of violence and destruction, severely affecting the livelihoods of millions of people, and creating destabilizing effects at the global level. He talks about the World Bank Group's new strategy to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Middle East and North Africa. He speaks about blending grant resources from donors with lending from multilateral development banks in order to provide concessional-level financing to middle-income countries that are hosting refugees. In conclusion he said that we must work together to mobilize support for the millions of children, women, and men who are victims and hostages of war, and to demonstrate our common commitment to help them survive these conflicts, and create a better life once the guns fall silent.
Preparing for Peace and Prosperity: Steps Ahead for the Arab World

( 2014-06-03) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group discusses measured hope and optimism, to share a vision for a path forward, to a just and sustainable future in the Middle East and North Africa. He talks about a way forward to help not only Syria rebuild, but also to help Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq recover from the massive spillover effects of the war is to be supported by the principles of co-existence, tolerance, compromise, transparency, good governance, and inclusive economic growth. He talks about the need for improvement in quality of education. He talks about development that requiring a commitment to transparency on the part of governments, and well-informed citizens to hold governments accountable. He speaks about helping women overcome the multiple legal and cultural constraints that have kept their labor force participation in the region at 29 percent, the lowest in the world. He talks about the young people here and throughout the Arab world deserve a chance to grow up in a region that is focused on creating jobs, not on conflict—a region focused on inclusive growth, not on growth for just the elite. The region needs to invest in its people with strong education and health systems.
Opening Press Conference at the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, April 10, 2014

( 2014-04-10) Kim, Jim Yong

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, notes that the developing countries will have to grow at a pace stronger than any time in the past 20 years to achieve the goal of ending the extreme poverty by 2030. He talks about the need for growth that is inclusive, creates jobs, and assists the poor directly. He calls for ensuring economic growth in the years ahead that is sustainable and takes us off the destructive path of climate change. He focuses on providing the best services possible in countries by keeping a strong presence in country offices and by providing global solutions to local problems. He is optimistic that countries and their partners will take it on, seize this opportunity and erase this stain of extreme poverty from our collective moral conscience once and for all. He fielded questions about China urbanization, Russo-Ukrainian tensions, Ghana’s dependence on the U.S. market, quality versus quantity of development aid, Middle East prospects, World Bank programs in Egypt, poverty in Paraguay, increased fees for advisory services, use of financial intermediaries, and climate change.
The Middle East and North Africa: A New Social Contract for Development

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2011-04-06) Zoellick, Robert B.

Robert B. Zoellick, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the political firestorm that engulfed Tunisia and the wider Middle East and its lessons for a new social contract for development that goes beyond the region itself. He argued for modernizing multilateralism in the Arab World, reforming international institutions to reflect power shifts in the world. Development economics must be democratized. Investment in the Arab World needs to be more diversified, while the governments increase accountability and reduce corruption and conflict. The new Arab voices are calling for dignity and respect and a series of changes amounting to a new social contract. While the World Bank once steered away from political topics, today our shareholders know that corruption is a drag on economies, strangling opportunity and taxing the poor. Now, anticorruption, gender, and transparency are vital to the practices of the World Bank Group. The upcoming new World Development Report stresses the role of legitimate institutions and governance. Citizen participation matters. Zoellick discussed job creation and safety nets as keys to maintaining development momentum in the region.
Remarks at the Arab Economic Summit on January 19, 2009 in Kuwait

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-01-19) Zoellick, Robert B.

Robert B. Zoellick, President of the World Bank, discussed Kuwait’s vision of employing trade to link their economy to wider opportunities, deeper development, and greater growth. He urged the Arab leaders to support a Vulnerability Fund to assist developing countries that cannot afford bailouts and deficits. It should address three critical needs: safety net programs; infrastructure investment; and small- and medium-sized enterprises. He stressed that job creation is a long-standing challenge for the region. He believes the Arab World can play a bigger role at the global level to advance development partnerships and South-South cooperation and to fight climate change.
Lebanon Donors Conference--Paris III

( 2007-01-25) Wolfowitz, Paul

Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, remarked that Lebanon stands at a critical crossroad in the wake of the war in the previous summer. Lebanon now needs to go beyond reconstruction. He reviewed the implementation of the Lebanese Government’s economic and social reform program. The World Bank Group is providing financing support in three areas: first, the unprecedented step of providing grants from World Bank Group income for recovery and reconstruction. Second, the International Finance Corporation will provide 250 to 275 million dollars in financing for Lebanon’s financial and business community, including a guarantee program for small and medium-sized enterprises and a trade finance facility. Third, the Bank extended up to 700 million dollars in IBRD financing to support the implementation of the Government’s program, particularly its efforts to stimulate growth and to meet the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable elements of the population. The Bank is prepared to continue and intensify efforts in assisting the Government to implement its programs, to build institutional capacity, to improve procurement and financial management to undertake sector reforms, with a particular focus on those sectors such as power, which are key to the overall success of the program.The people of Lebanon have called on the world to help revive their economy. We have an opportunity to restore hope and stability that the Lebanese people and their children so deeply deserve.