On October 25, Small States delegates, development partners, and World Bank officials gathered at the World Bank Group/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, for the Small States Forum. This year’s theme was “Innovative Financing Solutions for the Resilience and Prosperity of Small States.”
Chaired by H.E. Mr. Olavo Correia, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Cabo Verde, the Forum provided a platform to discuss the World Bank’s ongoing initiatives aimed at helping Small States address the challenges they face in attracting private investment. Due to high climate vulnerability, limited economies of scale, and weak financial markets, Small States struggle to attract investors who seek scalable opportunities. To support them in overcoming these barriers, the World Bank highlighted tools such as the Guarantee Platform and the Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit, designed to mitigate investment risks and enhance resilience.