Claim OwnershipAccelerating Development: Ideas for Impact
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An AI-powered, expert-led podcast on cutting-edge policy solutions for today’s biggest development challenges, direct from our global research network.
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32 Episodes
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In this episode, we explore key insights from the World Bank World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies. With over 184 million people living outside their country of nationality—nearly half in low- and middle-income countries—the report highlights how migration, if managed well, can be a positive force for development, bringing benefits for migrants as well as origin and destination countries. Tune in as we unpack the report’s integrated framework built around the “match and motive” matrix, which helps policymakers tailor migration strategies to the skills and motivations of migrants. From demographic shifts to economic integration and brain drain, we discuss how migration can be a force for prosperity.
Rising trade tensions and ongoing policy uncertainty are threatening to slow global growth to its weakest pace since 2008—outside of outright global recessions. In this episode, we unpack why growth forecasts have dropped for nearly 70% of economies worldwide, spanning all regions and income levels. Join us for an in-depth look at the policies, priorities, and practical actions that countries can take to mobilize domestic revenues, protect vulnerable households, and boost jobs and productivity.
Read the report on our website.
In this episode, we dive into the World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives and explore data's potential to drive development and improve lives. Join us as we unpack the report’s call for a new social contract on data to boost innovation and inclusion, protect privacy and trust, and ensure that the benefits of data are shared equitably. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
"Accelerating Development" embarks on a comprehensive deep dive into Global Value Chains (GVCs), exploring their profound impact on global economies and development. We discuss how GVCs have historically fueled economic progress and poverty reduction, demonstrating a significantly more powerful effect on per capita income growth compared to traditional trade, driven by hyper-specialization and durable long-term relationships. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
However, the GVC landscape is actively evolving. We examine the slowing growth observed since the 2008 financial crisis, new technological advancements like 3D printing, and the increasing influence of geopolitical trade tensions, raising critical questions for researchers and policymakers on how developing countries can effectively navigate and benefit from these shifts.
Our discussion highlights the key drivers for GVC participation, emphasizing the crucial role of factor endowments, market access, geographic connectivity, technology, foreign direct investment, and robust institutions. We also delve into the complexities of making GVCs work for broader, more inclusive, and sustainable development goals, addressing environmental impacts, potential social inequalities, and the vital importance of continuous upgrading and proactive risk management through smart policy. What new research questions emerge regarding the long-term path for countries deeply integrated into GVCs given these fundamental shifts?
The COVID-19 pandemic tested public health communication like never before. While providing information is crucial, does it always translate into action? In this episode of “Accelerating Development,” we delve into a groundbreaking World Bank meta-analysis on COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Drawing on insights from the 2015 World Development Report "Mind, Society, and Behavior," we examine how behaviorally informed messages – considering how people think socially and use mental models – significantly impacted public responses. From the power of trusted messengers to the nuances of message framing and the complexities of heterogeneity across contexts, we explore the methodological innovations and critical research frontiers this study illuminates for accelerating development through a deeper understanding of human behavior. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
The world's poorest nations are grappling with an unprecedented debt crisis. In this episode of "Accelerating Development," we delve into the World Bank's International Debt Report 2024. Join us as we explore the record $1.1 trillion external debt burden facing IDA-eligible countries and the complex factors driving this surge, from pandemic aftershocks to rising global interest rates.
The world of work is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by technology and globalization. While this brings new opportunities, it also presents significant challenges. In this episode of “Accelerating Development”, tune in to unpack the World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work and explore how firms, workers, and societies are adapting. We delve into the skills needed for the future labor market, the evolving social contract, and how governments can respond to ensure inclusive growth. From the rise of digital platforms to the need for lifelong learning, we ask: is the changing nature of work a path to shared prosperity, or a driver of increased inequality?The world of work is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by technology and globalization. While this brings new opportunities, it also presents significant challenges.
Many countries have business-friendly laws on paper. But what happens when the public services meant to support them fall short? In this episode of “Accelerating Development”, tune in to unpack the World Bank’s Business Ready 2024 report and examine the often-overlooked gap between legislation and implementation. From underpowered tax portals to fragmented border systems, we ask whether firm resilience is a sign of strength, or a symptom of deeper dysfunction.
How can countries avoid the “middle-income trap” and reach high-income status? In this episode, we unpack the World Development Report 2024, which outlines strategies for countries to shift to high-income status. Tune in for sharp insights on how nations can compete, innovate, and level the playing field to drive long-term prosperity. Generated with AI and guided by experts.
Countries have made enormous progress in recent decades dismantling laws that discriminate against women, but to this day, no country has achieved true equality of opportunity. According to the World Bank 2024 Women, Business and the Law report, countries can unlock the full potential of their population by embracing legal gender equality. Closing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship could raise the global GDP by more than 20%. Listen to what countries can do to turbocharge global growth. Generated with AI and guided by our experts.
Host: Renos Vakis, Lead Economist at the World Bank
Learn more:
Women, Business and the Law 2024 report
About the Institute for Economic Development
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Investment accelerations can lift output growth to nearly 6% a year and cut poverty rates by 0.5 percentage points annually—but they’ve become far rarer. This episode uncovers why single reforms no longer spark growth and how coordinated policy packages—combining fiscal stability, openness, and strong institutions—dramatically raise the odds of both public and private investment takeoff. Learn how countries can translate reforms into real jobs, higher productivity, and greater poverty reduction.
Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
Read the full report here at https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/publication/accelerating-investment
Can a simple bank account offer better protection than a sea wall? This episode challenges the top-down view of climate resilience, arguing that the most effective path to climate resilience starts with people - and it begins with economic growth . We explore why a 10% rise in GDP saves millions, how "ambiguity aversion" paralyzes decision-making, and the surprising ways government safety nets can accidentally increase risk through "moral hazard." Discover why empowering individuals with data, finance, and market access is the most effective strategy for a changing world. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
Read the full report here at https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/rethinking-resilience
Ukraine's recovery requires more than rebuilding bridges; it demands a restart of the economic engine itself. This episode explores how Ukraine can replicate West Germany's post-war "Wirtschaftswunder" (economic miracle) to break out of a low-dynamism trap. We diagnose why top firms control over 50% of sales without innovating and how "power without performance" is stifling growth. Discover why simply subsidizing startups isn't enough and why disciplining entrenched incumbents is the critical first step to unleashing a competitive, high-growth future. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts. Read the full report here at https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/8a6ceaee-1491-41b1-8955-6cf41a473856
By 2030, nearly 60% of the world's extreme poor will live in 39 specific economies. What do they have in common? They are all trapped in a vicious cycle of fragility and conflict. This episode breaks down the devastating human and economic costs, showing how high-intensity conflict can wipe out 20% of GDP and decimate the industrial sector. But the situation is not hopeless. We explore a blueprint for recovery built on three major untapped opportunities: a demographic dividend, green minerals, and tourism. Learn how a development-led solution can break the cycle and build a path to resilience. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
Read the full source here at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects (Chapter 4)
Most people care deeply about climate change—but many don’t realize that almost everyone else does too. This episode explores the hidden behavioral forces shaping the green transition, from “pluralistic ignorance” that keeps people silent to the power of social norms that spark collective change. Discover how revealing shared concern can turn quiet belief into bold action, building the foundation for a greener, more united future.
What if equality isn’t just the right thing to do—but the most effective path to growth? This episode explores new evidence from the African Center for Economic Transformation showing how closing gender gaps in access to land, finance, and care work drives productivity and resilience across economies. From rural farms to national policy, we uncover how empowering women unleashes a powerful “gender dividend” — fueling inclusive and sustainable economic transformation.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is drying up, and the implications are global. This episode unpacks the World Bank’s report Foreign Direct Investment in Retreat: Policies to Turn the Tide, revealing why capital flows to developing countries have fallen to half their 2008 peak. We explore how trade openness, stronger institutions, and human capital can turn every investment dollar into growth—and why treaties, trust, and stability now matter more than ever. As old tools fade and new risks rise, learn how countries can rebuild confidence, attract smarter capital, and reignite development.
Why do people pay taxes? The answer is more complex than just laws and penalties. This episode dives into the behavioral science behind tax compliance, revealing how governments can achieve staggering results without new legislation. We break down three key strategies: the "nudge" targeting individual choices, the "budge" that shifts societal culture, and the "trudge" that focuses on motivating the system from within. Learn how these psychological tools are building more effective, trusted, and efficient tax systems around the world.
Financial inclusion is a cornerstone of development, and since 2011, the Global Findex Database has been the definitive source of data on the ways in which adults around the world access and use financial services. The 2025 edition introduces a new component that measures access to and use of mobile technology. Combined with financial inclusion data, it offers a holistic view of how mobile infrastructure is expanding access to financial services and improving economic resilience. From smartphone use to savings, on this episode we explore how technology is shaping financial inclusion, and where progress is still needed. Generated with AI using wondercraft.ai and guided by our experts.
In this episode, we explore key insights from the World Bank World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies. With over 184 million people living outside their country of nationality—nearly half in low- and middle-income countries—the report highlights how migration, if managed well, can be a positive force for development, bringing benefits for migrants as well as origin and destination countries. Tune in as we unpack the report’s integrated framework built around the “match and motive” matrix, which helps policymakers tailor migration strategies to the skills and motivations of migrants. From demographic shifts to economic integration and brain drain, we discuss how migration can be a force for prosperity.
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