Results by Region

At-A-Glance

Across East Asia and Pacific, we aim to support economic development that embeds solutions to build human capital, address climate change and the need for crisis preparedness--and create opportunities for the private sector. In fiscal 2024, the World Bank approved $8 billion for 37 operations in the region, including $6.8 billion in IBRD commitments and $1.2 billion in IDA commitments.

We remain engaged in Myanmar, aligned with the World Bank Group Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (2020-2025). We continue to deepen our partnerships with non-borrowing member countries, including Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, allowing us to exchange development lessons and solutions for shared priorities.

Regional Commitments and Disbursements for Fiscal 2022–24

	COMMITMENTS ($ MILLIONS)			DISBURSEMENTS ($ MILLIONS)
	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY22	FY23	FY24
IBRD	5,482	6,636	6,788	5,439	4,350	5,492
IDA	1,673	877	1,238	1,502	1,448	1,015
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2024: $32.7 billion.

Improving access to integrated, quality health services. We are supporting Indonesia’s ambitious health system transformation to address longstanding constraints to quality primary care, referral hospital, and public health laboratory systems. The Indonesia Health Systems Strengthening Project aims to increase the availability of functional equipment in public health facilities and improve public health services across the country. We are also supporting Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen the supply of medical care professionals through a Universal Health Coverage Development Policy Loan.

Promoting sustainable energy and crisis response. We are launching a multiphase programmatic approach to accelerate the energy transition in the region. Financing through IBRD and IDA will enable the development of 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy generation capacity and result in a net reduction of 60 million tons of CO₂ equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions.

In the Pacific, we strengthened resilience to climate risks, natural disasters and health emergencies through Development Policy Operations or Development Policy Financing with Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Options (Cat-DDOs) in island nations including Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, and Tonga. Cat-DDOs provide a rapid source of financing to respond to natural disasters and health emergencies.

The Philippines became the first country to benefit from the Rapid Response Option in the World Bank Group's new Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit, allowing it to immediately reallocate a portion of our financing to provide the country and its people with what they need when a crisis strikes.

Closing the digital divide in public infrastructure. We approved the Philippines First Digital Transformation Development Policy Loan in fiscal 2024 to promote the digital transformation of government and digital infrastructure policies, expand financial inclusion through digital finance, and stimulate the growth of digital services. The loan will help digitalize government operations and service delivery, foster competition in digital infrastructure markets, and encourage the adoption of digital payments and financial services.

Further Information: East Asia and Pacific Homepage >

 

Country Impact

Lao PDR:  We helped 1.2 million poor and vulnerable households receive targeted assistance from the government and UN agencies by creating the first civil registration and statistics service. Samoa: The entire population of 226,000 people is benefiting from enhanced access to transport services through World Bank-supported projects implemented between 2013 and 2022. Viet Nam: We aim to bring clean drinking water to 2 million children through our innovative $50 million emission-reduction linked bond that will finance delivery of water purification systems in 8,000 schools.

 

Regional Snapshot

INDICATOR	2000	2012	CURRENT DATAa
Total population (millions)	1,817	2,001.2	2,133.7
Population growth (annual %)	1.0	0.9	0.2
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	911.0	5,073.4	10,446.1
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	6.6	6.7	4.8
Population living below $2.15 a day (millions)	716.9	176.1	22.4
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	72.9	77.1	79.0
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	68.3	71.8	73.5
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	4,141.5	10,809.8	12,660.7
Extreme poverty (% of population below $2.15 a day, 2017 PPP)	39.5	8.8	1.0
Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services, and primary income	15.8	4.5	11.5
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	81.6	78.8	80.1
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	59.8	48.6	44.2
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	42.2	20.1	15.3
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group)	93.1	98.4	97.4
Individuals using the internet (% of population)	1.9	35.7	75.3
Access to electricity (% of population)	91.2	95.8	98.0
Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption)	31.7	14.8	16.1
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	78.7	89.3	96.2
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	56.2	77.2	92.9
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity.  a. The most current data available between 2010 and 2023; visit https://data.worldbank.org for data updates.

SPOTLIGHT: Piloting sustainable farming methods to reduce methane and boost prosperity in Viet Nam

The Viet Nam Sustainable Agriculture Transformation Project (VnSAT) has successfully piloted new rice farming techniques to lower emissions, increase farmers’ net incomes, and can be scaled and replicated in other countries.

Rice, a staple crop for more than half the world’s population, produces high levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG). But using VnSAT techniques, GHG emissions from about 180,000 hectares of rice land were reduced by approximately 1.5 million tons of CO₂ equivalent each year compared with traditional farming. The project enabled 150,000 rice farmers to improve their average profit per hectare by about 30 percent, compared with households outside the project.

The success of the VnSAT program provides lessons for other agricultural sectors, including coffee, livestock, and fisheries, and its techniques are ready to be applied in other rice-growing areas. In China, which contributes about 30 percent of the world’s rice production, the Methane-Reducing and Water-Saving Paddy Rice Program aims to reduce methane emissions, improve irrigation and drainage services, and provide agricultural support for climate-resilient rice production in Hunan province, China’s largest rice production area. 

At-A-Glance

Across Europe and Central Asia, we aim to improve access to quality education and health services, advance the energy transition and water management, enhance economic prosperity and job creation, and improve physical and digital connectivity. In fiscal 2024, the World Bank approved $10.4 billion for 50 operations in the region, including $9.3 billion in IBRD commitments and $1.1 billion in IDA commitments.

Regional Commitments and Disbursements for Fiscal 2022–24

	COMMITMENTS ($ MILLIONS)			DISBURSEMENTS ($ MILLIONS)
	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY22	FY23	FY24
IBRD	5,974	10,162	9,302	4,580	4,833	10,574
IDA	2,511	1,098	1,100	764	2,385	1,187
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2024: $44.0 billion.

Improving access to quality education and health services. We are modernizing close to 200 schools in Georgia through the I2Q: Innovation, Inclusion and Quality Project to inspire a new generation of scientists and innovators. In the Kyrgyz Republic, our Higher Education Quality and Innovation Project is improving the quality and relevance of higher education programs for 160,000 students, professors, and researchers. The project aims to align applied research needs with the labor market and improve the employability of young people, especially women.

We are helping Tajikistan strengthen primary healthcare services through the Millati Solim Project, and we are improving health outcomes in Serbia through the Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control Project. In Ukraine, we are supporting preventative healthcare, expanding rehabilitation services, and training primary care providers through the Health Enhancement and Lifesaving Project.

Advancing the energy transition and water management. We are piloting landmark initiatives to expand renewable energy uptake, support energy efficiency, and enhance energy security. We approved the Europe and Central Asia Renewable Energy Scale-up Program with the aim of adding 15 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, reducing 240 million metric tons of carbon emissions, and creating more than 900,000 renewable energy jobs. Türkiye, the first country to borrow through this program, is expanding the distributed solar energy market for businesses and households and piloting distributed battery electricity storage.

Across Central Asia, we are benefiting 50,000 people by restoring transboundary landscapes through the Resilient Landscape Restoration Project. In the Kyrgyz Republic, we are promoting sustainable development by improving water access for 200,000 people in 94 villages and helping to restore rural landscapes. We also published Country Climate and Development Reports for Azerbaijan, Romania, and Uzbekistan. The recommendations in these reports have informed sustainable development policy dialogues and operations.

Enhancing economic prosperity and job creation. We support reforms and investments focused on private sector–led growth and job creation. Our development policy loans and other operations create markets by improving competition regulation, enhancing the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, and improving access to finance. In Kosovo, our Effectiveness, Competitiveness, and Green Growth Development Policy Financing is enabling job creation and a cleaner environment. In Kazakhstan, we are modernizing the research and development ecosystem to drive innovation and create jobs through the Fostering Productive Innovation Project.

Improving physical and digital connectivity. Our research shows that with the right investment and policies, a transport route across the Middle Trade and Transport Corridor countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus could triple trade volumes while halving travel time by 2030. To expand digital infrastructure, we allocated additional financing for the Digital Central Asia South Asia Project which provides internet access for more than 800,000 people in the Kyrgyz Republic. The project is increasing internet penetration to 57 percent of the country, attracting private investment and improving digital government services.

Further Information: Europe and Central Asia Homepage >

 

Country Impact

Tajikistan: Nearly 3 million people have directly benefited from our resilience-building projects spanning agribusiness, childhood immunizations, and disaster risk management. Türkiye: Our low-carbon development strategies could reduce carbon emissions by 70 percent, creating $146 billion in economic opportunity (or 1 percent of GDP) by 2040. Ukraine: We have helped more than 13 million people receive timely payments of pensions and social assistance, alongside the continued provision of critical health, education, and other essential services.

 

Regional Snapshot

INDICATOR	2000	2012	CURRENT DATAa
Total population (millions)	216.0	232.7	247.5
Population growth (annual %)	0.4	0.8	0.2
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	1,847.3	6,825.7	7,691.9
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	6.4	3.2	4.4
Population living below $2.15 a day (millions)	43.3	4.2	2.3
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	73.0	76.2	77.6
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	65.0	69.0	70.7
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	2,577.2	2,959.7	2,830.7
Extreme poverty (% of population below $2.15 a day, 2017 PPP)	9.2	0.9	0.5
Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services, and primary income	18.9	14.9	17.8
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	68.2	67.2	64.7
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	33.7	30.2	29.0
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	42.8	19.7	13.1
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group)	95.9	97.5	99.8
Individuals using the internet (% of population)	1.7	39.5	81.0
Access to electricity (% of population)	99.0	99.7	100.0
Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption)	7.6	7.5	10.1
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	91.3	93.5	95.6
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	89.9	94.9	97.8
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity.  a. The most current data available between 2020 and 2023; visit https://data.worldbank.org for data updates.

 

SPOTLIGHT: Sustaining support for Ukraine 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, continues to devastate Ukraine and negatively impact the region. We mobilized around $10 billion for Ukraine in fiscal 2024 through generous donor support and innovative financial instruments, including donor guarantees on IBRD financing and IDA’s fundraising through the Crisis Facility.

To date, we have mobilized $42 billion in emergency financing to help Ukraine maintain basic administrative and institutional capacity, deliver key services, and conduct repairs in critical sectors including health, agriculture, housing, transport, and energy, and support reforms to strengthen fiscal management and future reconstruction. Resources from bilateral donors account for more than 90 percent of the World Bank Group-mobilized capital. This support has enabled the government to provide essential services reaching more than 15 million Ukrainians.

In February 2024, we released the third Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment which estimated that Ukraine will need at least $486 billion over the next decade to repair and rebuild.  

 

At-A-Glance

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, we aim to improve access to quality health and education services, boost resilience to climate change while fostering a green transition, and collaborate with other multilateral development banks and the private sector to boost prosperity and digitalization. In fiscal 2024, the World Bank approved $9.7 billion for 52 operations in the region, including $9.4 billion in IBRD commitments and $269 million in IDA commitments. We signed 14 Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements^[1] with five countries for a total of $13.2 million.

Regional Commitments and Disbursements for Fiscal 2022–24

	COMMITMENTS ($ MILLIONS)			DISBURSEMENTS ($ MILLIONS)
	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY22	FY23	FY24
IBRD	9,407	9,828	9,463	8,911	8,216	6,305
IDA	1,030	181	269	510	322	602
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2024: $33.5 billion.

Improving education and health services. In the last decade, nearly 13 million people across the region have benefited from our 48 educational projects totaling $5 billion in commitments. In Guyana, projects totaling $99 million are tackling inequalities at all educational levels to meet new and growing labor market demands. Over 6,000 secondary students have benefitted so far, and more than 1,000 teachers have received training. Our Learning can’t wait: Lessons for Latin America and the Caribbean from PISA 2022 report, produced jointly with the Inter-American Development Bank, tackles the learning crisis affecting adolescents in the region, one of the most severe educational crises in the last 100 years. 

In Chile, we are expanding access to primary health services through a $200 million project. And in the Dominican Republic, a $190 million project seeks to improve the quality of public healthcare services provision, especially for maternal and neonatal care, and to strengthen health and social assistance systems. Our Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean report analyzed the climate resilience of health systems in countries across the region.

Across all services, we are committed to creating equal access for women and girls. Our Regional Gender Action Plan (2021-2025) sets out an approach to narrow persistent gender gaps at the country level. In Ecuador, we approved a $500 million loan to foster inclusive and sustainable development by protecting the most vulnerable and supporting gender equality in all economic sectors.

Fostering climate resilience and a green transition. We are bolstering the region’s resilience to climate change and helping countries advance their energy transition agendas. In Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, the Global Program for Resilient Housing identifies houses vulnerable to natural disasters, determines which ones can be made safe before it is too late, and connects the homeowners with government subsidies and private capital. In Peru, two projects totaling $1.5 billion are supporting climate change adaptation and a greener economy. In Panama, we are supporting reforms to enable the energy transition and inclusive low-carbon growth, benefiting the most vulnerable populations. And in Colombia, a $750 million loan to support equitable growth also aims to protect wildlife and reduce deforestation. In fiscal 2024, we published Country Climate and Development Reports with recommendations for sustainable development for Colombia and the Dominican Republic.

Promoting formalization of entrepreneurs. In Ecuador, the Inclusive and Sustainable Growth Project has supported the introduction of a new type of company modality in the legal framework. The new simplified corporation form, S.A.S., has become the most popular vehicle to start a business in Ecuador. As of fiscal 2024, more than 58,700 S.A.S.s have been registered in the country, representing approximately 80 percent of total companies. This success is replicated in El Salvador, with over 800 companies registered during the first five months of implementation of the S.A.S. this year, and 1,821 registration processes initiated online.

Collaborating for sustainable prosperity and digital development. With the Inter-American Development Bank, we have embarked on a first-ever, four-year partnership to better combat poverty, create jobs, and address climate change. We have committed to work jointly in three priority areas. In the Amazon, we will support countries in their transition to net zero deforestation; help improve the livelihoods of their inhabitants, mostly Indigenous Peoples; and preserve the ecosystem. In the Caribbean, we will focus on supporting disaster risks and climate-crises management, as well as on developing mechanisms for financial protection against future shocks. We will also bridge the digital divide across the region by collaborating on digital infrastructure and rural connectivity, especially for education. 

Further Information: Latin America and the Caribbean Homepage >

 

Country Impact

Argentina: Our flood protection measures have benefited more than 6 million people by safeguarding their communities and infrastructure. Ecuador: We financed the fully electric Quito Metro Line, which is expected to annually reduce emissions by 67,000 tons of CO2 equivalent and save $50 million in fuel costs. Jamaica: Our emergency response and risk reduction projects have benefited 57 percent of the population since 2016, enhancing resilience and preparedness in the face of natural disasters and other emergencies.

Regional Snapshot

INDICATOR	2000	2012	CURRENT DATAa
Total population (millions)	468.1	541.0	600.8
Population growth (annual %)	1.5	1.1	0.7
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	4,093.9	9,463.5	9,028.4
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	2.1	1.2	1.4
Population living below $2.15 a day (millions)	71.3	30.6	22.6
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	74.2	77.0	76.7
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	67.7	70.9	70.5
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	1,036.5	1,401.1	1,242.2
Extreme poverty (% of population below $2.15 a day, 2017 PPP)	13.8	5.1	3.5
Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services, and primary income	43.9	16.2	18.2
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	60.5	66.1	69.2
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	35.9	32.2	33.1
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	34.4	20.4	15.7
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group)	90.8	96.9	94.6
Individuals using the internet (% of population)	3.4	42.2	75.6
Access to electricity (% of population)	91.1	96.3	98.5
Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption)	29.8	29.4	34.9
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	90.1	94.8	97.7
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	73.2	82.3	88.5
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity.  a. The most current data available between 2020 and 2023; visit https://data.worldbank.org for data updates.

SPOTLIGHT: Innovating for a greener future in Uruguay and Chile

With support from the World Bank, Uruguay has become a pioneer in the development of financial instruments to address climate change. In November 2023, we approved a $350 million loan for Uruguay, as part of the Environmental Goal-Driven Financing Mechanism, that marks a global first by linking multilateral development bank financing conditions with the achievement of ambitious environmental targets. Uruguay could see a reduction of up to $12.5 million in interest on this loan if it attains a verifiable decrease in the intensity of methane gas emissions from livestock production. 

In Chile, which is rich in renewable resources, we have approved a $150 million investment to promote in-country green hydrogen projects. This is our first loan to promote green hydrogen to support climate change mitigation efforts. Chile expects to produce the lowest-cost hydrogen in the world by 2030 and to be among the world’s top three hydrogen exporters by 2040.    

^[1] Reimbursable Advisory Services (RAS) are an instrument to deliver advisory services to eligible clients in middle- and high-income countries requiring services that cannot be fully funded from the Bank’s country program. Under RAS programs, the World Bank works with countries at their request, providing advisory services, analytical services, and implementation support. The Bank is then reimbursed for the costs of delivering these advisory services.

At-A-Glance

Across the Middle East and North Africa, we aim to strengthen human capital, enable green and inclusive growth, and increase infrastructure capacity. In fiscal 2024, the World Bank approved $4.6 billion for 17 operations in the region, including $4.2 billion in IBRD commitments and $340 million in IDA commitments. An additional $87.5 million in special financing was approved for projects in the West Bank and Gaza. Revenue from Reimbursable Advisory Services agreements reached $41.5 million for strategic and technical assistance on sustainable social, economic, and environmental reforms.

Regional Commitments and Disbursements for Fiscal 2022–24

	COMMITMENTS ($ MILLIONS)			DISBURSEMENTS ($ MILLIONS)
	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY22	FY23	FY24
IBRD	4,135	4,697	4,233	3,407	2,964	3,332
IDA	817	561	340	559	552	587
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2024: $27.6 billion.

Strengthening human capital: Health, education, and social protection services. In fiscal 2024, we continued to prioritize human capital development, including in countries experiencing fragility, conflict, or violence. In Yemen, we are enabling the delivery of essential health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene services through additional financing of $150 million for the Emergency Human Capital project. Implemented by UN partners, this project is expected to benefit at least 19 million people, of whom 10 million are women and girls. We also approved an additional $150 million for the Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Project in Yemen. This third round of financing will help millions of Yemenis as they address the chronic food insecurity and vulnerability exacerbated by the ongoing conflict, economic instability, and climate-related shocks.

We also committed $35 million in grants to support emergency relief in Gaza. Working with the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and the UN Children’s Fund, the grants support the delivery of emergency food, water, and medical supplies. In the West Bank, we approved a $30 million grant for the continuation of education for children, $22 million to support municipal services, and $45 million to strengthen healthcare and hospital services.

Enabling green and inclusive growth. To help policymakers in the region advance their climate change and development goals, we published Country Climate and Development Reports for the West Bank and Gaza, Lebanon, and Tunisia. In Libya, the catastrophic flooding in September 2023 devastated eastern localities, particularly the city of Derna. The World Bank, together with the UN and the European Union, produced a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment to inform recovery and reconstruction efforts.

We signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Development Bank to promote further collaboration between our institutions. The MoU focuses on joint knowledge and operational engagements around the energy, food, and water nexus, climate impact, empowering women and youth to engage with the private sector, and advancing the digital transition and regional integration. The MoU aims to achieve a co-financing volume of $6 billion through 2026, 45 percent of which has already been met.

Expanding economic opportunities for women. The World Bank has drawn on a variety of instruments to support Jordan’s commitment to increase female labor force participation, including through the recently approved Country Partnership Framework. Through operations, technical assistance (such as Mashreq Gender Facility; Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative; and the Women, Business and the Law report) and policy dialogue, we have contributed to legal reforms in Jordan that removed job restrictions on women, prohibited gender-based discrimination in the workplace, and criminalized sexual harassment in the workplace. In fiscal 2024, we approved the first women-focused Bank project in the region: the Jordan Enhancing Women's Economic Opportunities Program for Results aims to improve workplace conditions, increase financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, make public transport safer, and increase access to affordable, quality childcare services.

Analyzing critical infrastructure needs. We published an Interim Damage Assessment for Gaza in partnership with the UN and with financial support from the EU. This found that a preliminary estimate of the cost of damages to critical infrastructure from the conflict in Gaza between October 2023 and the end of January 2024 was around $18.5 billion—equivalent to 97 percent of the 2022 GDP of the West Bank and Gaza combined. When the situation allows, a full-fledged Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment will be conducted.

Further Information: Middle East and North Africa Homepage >

 

Country Impact

Egypt: The Bank-supported Takaful and Karama social protection program has reached 4.7 million vulnerable households, benefiting approximately 20 million individuals, 75 percent of them women. Lebanon: A roads project has rehabilitated over 500 km of roads in 25 districts across the country and generated 1.3 million labor days for Lebanese workers and Syrian refugees.  Morocco: Our programs have benefitted more than 400,000 people directly, and more than 33 million people indirectly, through more than 230 disaster risk reduction projects.

 

Regional Snapshot

INDICATOR	2000	2012	CURRENT DATAa
Total population (millions)	283.9	356.2	430.9
Population growth (annual %)	2.0	1.8	1.5
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	1,595.5	4,600.4	3,968.1
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	4.0	1.7	1.2
Population living below $2.15 a day (millions)	9.7	8.2	19.1
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	70.8	73.9	74.8
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	66.5	69.0	69.9
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	813.2	1,297.7	1,370.9
Extreme poverty (% of population below $2.15 a day, 2017 PPP)	3.4	2.3	4.7
Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services, and primary income	15.1	5.2	12.4
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	24.5	26.2	23.2
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	35.4	31.7	31.4
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	46.7	29.0	20.9
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group)	81.4	88.9	86.7
Individuals using the internet (% of population)	0.9	26.0	73.4
Access to electricity (% of population)	91.4	94.7	96.9
Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption)	3.0	2.6	2.9
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	86.5	90.6	93.7
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	79.4	86.2	90.4
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity.  a. The most current data available between 2018 and 2023; visit https://data.worldbank.org for data updates.

SPOTLIGHT: Mobilizing emergency support in Morocco

In September 2023, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck in the High Atlas Mountain range in Morocco, killing more than 2,900 people and affecting over 300,000 people in Marrakech and surrounding areas. The World Bank, which has a robust 65-year partnership with Morocco, reacted quickly to support the country’s post-disaster response. We conducted a rapid assessment of the damage and supported the Government to quickly disburse funds to affected people through an insurance regime, the Solidarity Fund, that had been pre-arranged with our support prior to the disaster. 

Our lending portfolio in Morocco for disaster risk management and financing totals $580 million over the past five years. These funds have been instrumental in improving the institutional framework to scale up disaster risk reduction activities and strengthen financial resilience to natural disasters for the entire Moroccan population.

At-A-Glance

Across South Asia, we aim to boost water security and resilience to climate and disaster risks, support the renewable energy transition, and enable job creation. In fiscal 2024, the World Bank approved $9.4 billion for 35 operations in the region, including $3.2 billion in IBRD commitments and $6.2 billion in IDA commitments. We also supported 59 advisory services and analytical products for eight countries, totaling $62.8 million.

Regional Commitments and Disbursements for Fiscal 2022–24

	COMMITMENTS ($ MILLIONS)			DISBURSEMENTS ($ MILLIONS)
	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY22	FY23	FY24
IBRD	4,781	4,321	3,143	3,129	3,290	4,381
IDA	4,217	5,770	6,239	4,202	4,646	5,153
Portfolio of operations under implementation as of June 30, 2024: $55.0 billion.

Boosting water security for a climate-resilient future. On average, 60 million people a year in South Asia have been affected by natural disasters since 2010. We are helping affected communities with investments that build resilience and improve productivity. In India, a new $300 million project will provide more and better access to water and sewer services to around 2 million people in 21 cities. In Bangladesh, we committed $102 million to support an economic corridor along the Jamuna River to enhance the livelihoods of residents and protect the unique ecosystem. In Pakistan, we committed just over $71 million in additional financing to continue supporting flood control and climate resilience in the highly vulnerable Sindh province, which bore the brunt of catastrophic floods in 2022. The Afghanistan Water Platform, which we co-chair with the UN, coordinates in-country humanitarian assistance and investments in water-related basic needs.

Supporting the transition to low-carbon and renewable energy. We are working with countries across the region to help them achieve their emissions-reduction goals and increase the share of renewables in their energy mix. In Bangladesh, we committed $300 million to improve the efficiency of gas distribution and reduce methane emissions along the natural gas value chain. In Pakistan, we committed $1 billion to support the completion of a large hydropower project as part of our broader support to renewable energy generation. In Nepal, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Asian Development Bank to strengthen the country’s hydropower sector through joint financing and advisory services. In Bhutan, we provided technical assistance to help establish rules and procedures for participation in carbon markets so the government can monetize emission reduction credits from hydropower and other renewable natural resources.

Enabling jobs to foster equality, prosperity, and resilience. South Asia is not creating enough jobs to keep pace with its rapidly growing working-age population. Our latest South Asia Development Update shows that private investment and robust growth of businesses and firms are essential to create the number and quality of jobs the region needs. To help close this gap, we are supporting countries through critical policy reforms, skills programs, and analytical work.

Following the economic crises in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, we are supporting a series of reforms to put both economies on a more sustainable growth path by boosting competitiveness and laying the foundation for a private-sector-led recovery and job creation. A critical area of focus is on increasing women's labor-force participation as only one in four women in South Asia are currently in the workforce.

We also support inclusive skills programs to better prepare people for gainful employment. In Bangladesh, we provided $300 million to equip about 900,000 disadvantaged rural youth—many of whom are female—with skills, alternative education, entrepreneurship support, and employment opportunities. In India, we have committed $100 million to training, upskilling, and providing more than 300,000 women and youth with jobs in high-growth sectors including renewable energy, information and technology services, and hospitality. We have also provided $74 million to India for a jobs-development project with leading private sector companies.

For Bhutan, whose increasingly educated workforce is emigrating at an unprecedented rate, we published a report on the national labor market with recommendations to support private sector job creation.

Further Information: South Asia Homepage >

 

Country Impact

Bangladesh: With our support, girls now account for more than half of all secondary school enrollment and in the past six years, female labor force participation increased from 36 percent to 43 percent. Maldives: We are helping install 53.5 megawatts of solar panels on the islands and on the open ocean to create 50-megawatt hours of battery storage and upgrade the electricity grid to include cleaner energy sources. Pakistan: We helped double revenue collection at the provincial level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—from $99 million in fiscal 2019 to $216 million in fiscal 2022—through improved governance and fiscal management.

 

Regional Snapshot

INDICATOR	2000	2012	CURRENT DATAa
Total population (millions)	1,406.9	1,708.7	1,938.5
Population growth (annual %)	2.0	1.4	1.0
GNI per capita (Atlas method, current US$)	442.1	1,383.5	2,388.1
GDP per capita growth (annual %)	2.1	3.9	5.3
Population living below $2.15 a day (millions)b	590.3b	339.4	186.9
Life expectancy at birth, females (years)	63.9	69.5	70.1
Life expectancy at birth, males (years)	62.0	65.9	66.4
Carbon dioxide emissions (megatons)	1,073.0	2,147.9	2,518.4
Extreme poverty (% of population below $2.15 a day, 2017 PPP)b	40.4b	19.9	9.7
Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods, services, and primary income	17.1	7.4	9.9
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate)	35.1	34.4	41.4
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)	79.6	75.3	69.9
Under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births	93.5	57.0	35.9
Primary completion rate (% of relevant age group)	67.5	84.2	99.3
Individuals using the internet (% of population)	0.5	10.1	42.6
Access to electricity (% of population)	57.9	79.5	98.3
Renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption)	49.4	37.6	37.8
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)	81.4	87.8	93.1
People using at least basic sanitation services (% of population)	17.8	49.1	75.5
Note: ILO = International Labour Organization; PPP = purchasing power parity.  a. The most current data available between 2019 and 2023; visit https://data.worldbank.org for data updates. b. Data from 2002.

SPOTLIGHT: Catalyzing India’s low-carbon energy transition

As one of the world's fastest-growing large economies, India is at a pivotal juncture in its development. While India’s per capita energy consumption is just one-third of the global average, its energy demand is expected to grow rapidly as the economy expands.

India has set a goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2070, a vision that requires a transformative shift to phase down fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is a core technological innovation that can shift energy-intensive sectors like cement, fertilizer, and steel to a low-carbon path. India aims to develop a green hydrogen industry to create jobs and boost energy security.

The World Bank is supporting this transition with two development policy operations worth $3 billion. This strategic financing is designed to catalyze India's development of low-carbon energy across three interconnected areas: the emergence of a green hydrogen industry, the expansion of renewable energy, and the mobilization of climate finance.