10. Speeches of World Bank Presidents [collection under construction]
376 items available
Permanent URI for this collection
Sub-collections of this Collection
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A. Speeches by David R. Malpass (2019 to present) -
B. Speeches by Jim Yong Kim (2012-19) -
C. Speeches by Robert B. Zoellick (2007-12) -
D. Speeches by Paul Wolfowitz (2005-07) -
E. Speeches by James D. Wolfensohn (1995-2005) -
F. Speeches by Lewis Preston (1991-95) -
G. Speeches by Barber Conable (1986-91) -
H. Speeches by Alden W. Clausen (1981-86) -
I. Speeches by Robert S. McNamara (1968-81) -
J. Speeches by George Woods (1963-68)
Items in this collection
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Publication
Opening Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass during the Launch of the January 2023 Global Economic Prospects Report
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-01-10)These remarks were delivered by the World Bank Group President David Malpass during the Launch of the January 2023 Global Economic Prospects Report on January 10, 2023. He addressed the following topics: global growth outlook; rising levels of debt distress and possible directions to achieve debt transparency and sustainability; the need for greatly expanded resources for developing countries, including deeply concessional resources; and attractive investment climate and governance standards. -
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Opening Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass during the Launch of the International Debt Report 2022
(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2022-12-06)These opening remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass during the Launch of the International Debt Report 2022 on December 6, 2022. He spoke about the World Bank identified the stagflation risk early in that year which brings three risks: a global recession in 2023; a multi-year period of slow growth; and widespread asset repricing as higher interest rates are applied, and hedges run out. He mentioned that the interest rates were very low for a long period allowing a huge use of capital by fully-funded governments and business sectors, and this misallocation of global capital undercuts growth and productivity and will take time to repair. He spoke about energy prices that are a major factor, with shortages of fertilizer and food hitting people in the poorest countries particularly hard. He highlighted on the combination of extremely high government debt levels and rising interest rates will cause heavy absorption of global capital by advanced governments for a prolonged period. He said that the World Bank’s latest debt statistics report released that day makes it clear that a debt crisis in the world’s poorest countries is intensifying. He mentioned that to address the increase in debt and the new composition, he has focused on improvements in three areas - debt sustainability, transparency, and restructuring. He spoke on debt restructuring, where new mechanisms are needed to reflect the new creditor landscape. He concluded by saying that together with the Kristalina Georgieva from the IMF, they will engage with Chinese authorities and with their policy banks – the China ExIm Bank and the China Development Bank on the need for faster progress on resolving unsustainable debt and the need for more transparency. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali Indonesia
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11-15)These remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali Indonesia on November 15, 2022. He spoke about the developing world faces hunger, poverty, unsustainable debt, and learning poverty above 70 percent. Climate change makes all of these burdens worse. Farmers face droughts and floods. In poor countries, they face severe shortages of fertilizer and diesel. Underinvestment blocks access to electricity and clean water. Current global macro policies create a permanent drain on global capital, risking a long recession. The developing world needs much greater resources. The World Bank Group has achieved the largest increase in commitments in our history and greatly expanded trade finance. Regarding the debt crisis, it is urgent to create a more effective debt reduction process for low and middle-income countries that are in debt distress. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the 2022 Annual Meetings Plenary
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-10-14)These are the remarks delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the 2022 Annual Meetings Plenary on October 14, 2022. He spoke about the following: (i) update on the Bank Group’s financial results and a few of the immense challenges during COVID-19;(ii) emergency financing for Ukraine; (iii) capital Increases of IBRD and IFC; (iv) the IDA20 replenishment; (v) the Bank has established a new Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR); (vi) Global Alliance for Food Security with the German G7 Presidency; (vii) SCALE, a new umbrella trust fund for the Bank’s results-based climate activities; (viii) publishing Bank's Country Climate and Development reports, or CCDRs; and (ix) continue to work toward broad-based growth that reduces poverty and lifts all countries and all people. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action – Annual Meetings 2022
(World Bank, SpeeWashington, DC, 2022-10-12)These remarks, as prepared, were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the Eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, during the Annual Meetings on October 12, 2022. The remarks focus on major challenge of climate change and the global outlook. The World Bank Group (WBG) can help in many ways, and is working closely with the IMF and with other multilateral development banks (MDBs). We are implementing our Climate Change Action Plan with clear, intense, and focused measures to help our client countries fully integrate climate and development. They require diagnostics, impactful projects, WBG resources, and large-scale financing. A principal goal of the action plan is to build financing mechanisms to help the global community support global public goods, such as climate action in developing countries. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass to the G24 Meeting of Ministers and Governors
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-10-11)These remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass to the G24 Meeting of Ministers and Governors on October 11, 2022. The developing world is facing an extremely challenging outlook shaped by sharply higher food, fertilizer, and energy prices, rising interest rates and credit spreads, currency depreciation, capital outflows, and higher level of debts that adds to higher inflation, impacting especially the poor. With the current trends, the risks of a global recession in 2023 are high. The World Bank Group, together with the IMF, stands ready to continue working with the G20 to make progress in the debt agenda and we look forward to working with India’s upcoming G20 Presidency on this. -
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The Crisis Facing Development - Speech by World Bank Group President David Malpass before the 2022 Annual Meetings
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-09-28)These remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass before the 2022 Annual Meetings on the Crisis Facing Development on September 28, 2022. He spoke at Stanford University, in detail about the following topics: (i) Human consequence of overlapping crises; and (ii) Confronting unprecedented fiscal and monetary policies. -
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Introductory Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the State of the Global Economy Event Organized by Brookings Institution
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-07-13)These opening remarks were made by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the State of the Global Economy Event Organized by Brookings Institution on July 13, 2022. Mr. Malpass said the world is facing multiple crises, including the sharpest slowdown in GDP growth in 80 years, the risk of a frozen crisis in Ukraine due to Russia's invasion, and a massive worsening in global inequality as advanced economies absorb the limited supplies of global capital and energy. Global growth is not expected to rebound in 2023, given energy supply constraints; the long overdue normalization of interest rates and bond yields in the advanced economies; and the misallocation of investments that has pushed much of the world’s savings into bonds, mostly bonds issued by governments and overcapitalized borrowers. The global economy is also facing significant downside risks. These include intensifying geopolitical tensions, the fragility in many countries, the potential for an extended period of stagflation, the widespread financial stress that's caused by the higher borrowing costs, and food insecurity. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the Sina Finance 2022 ESG Global Leaders’ Summit
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-06-28)These remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the Sina Finance 2022 ESG Global Leaders’ Summit on June 28, 2022. He mentioned that in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, countries are shifting their energy policy priorities in ways that may slow down the energy transition and affect global climate goals and the achievement of electricity access. He said that the increased price of natural gas is already causing increased use of coal, diesel, and heavy fuel oil in the developing world. He insisted that it will be important to identify, fund and implement the most impactful projects in terms of GHG emissions and resilience in adapting to major climate vulnerabilities. .He said that to help focus efforts in developing countries, the World Bank Group has launched a new core diagnostic called Country Climate and Development Reports, or CCDRs. He described that constant innovation will be needed as the private sector applies significant funding to global public goods. He highlighted that the World Bank promotes global transparency on climate metrics, targets, and outputs so that we can create opportunities, tackle challenges, and help countries maximize positive outcomes in their climate transition. He mentioned that China’s role as a major global creditor gives it additional responsibility to support the global shift toward investments with high ESG standards. He concluded by saying that a commitment to high standards of transparency and environmental and social risk management, similar to the standards that the World Bank Group and other MDBs follow, would help recipient countries achieve sustainable development while also significantly lowering risks for Chinese investors themselves. -
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Remarks by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the 2022 Nordic Baltic Governors Meeting
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-06-09)These remarks were delivered by World Bank Group President David Malpass at the 2022 Nordic Baltic Governors Meeting on June 9, 2022. He spoke about the following: war in Ukraine; the World Bank Group is responding, with increased financial support to FCV countries, and with more staff on the ground. Addressing the challenges of fragility, conflict and violence requires strengthened international cooperation and deeper collaboration with governments, with partners such as the UN, with civil society, and the affected populations themselves, and climate action.