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Japan has announced an additional contribution of US$30 million to the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund Program (HEPR).

President Malpass tweeted: "Great first meeting with @MOF_Japan Minister Shunichi Suzuki. "

PNoWB Japan members appointed The Honorable Takeaki MATSUMOTO as its new Chair, given that The Honorable Asahiko MIHARA, the previous Chair, stepped down at the meeting.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, debt accumulation as a percentage of GDP in developing countries was considered risky. 

Given the urgency for stronger global health security and the need to help developing countries get better prepared for disease outbreaks, the World Bank Group established the new Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) Umbrella Program to support eligible countries and territories to improve their capacities to prepare for, prevent, respond and mitigate the impact of epidemics on people.

Because of the pandemic, extreme poverty rose in 2020 for the first time in over 20 years and around 100 million more people are living on less than $1.90 a day. Through this series of charts and graphs, we share select research from the World Bank Group that illustrates the severity of the pandemic as it enters its third year. We also reflect on the Bank’s rapid and innovative response to the crisis.

A new World Bank report - Frontline : Preparing Healthcare Systems for Shocks from Disasters to Pandemics - offers recommendations to better prepare health systems to respond to a wide range of shocks, from seasonal demand surges, to pandemics, climate change, and disasters. The report was funded by the Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries (Japan Program).

Basic sustenance has become unaffordable for the world’s poorest, and disruptions of health and nutrition services will have long term consequences. Even before the pandemic, the world was not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) goal of Zero Hunger.

Japan’s urban infrastructure ranks among the world’s best. But getting there didn’t happen overnight—Japan’s approach to infrastructure development unfolded in response to distinct phases, each of which highlights the importance of balancing economic growth and sustainability.

Commemorating the GEJE’s 10^th anniversary, we look back at such event – to understand the reconstruction efforts to build back better, re-examine lessons learned, reflect upon what GEJE has taught us on enhancing future resilience, and discuss how to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.