As prepared for delivery.
A very warm welcome to all in the room and all watching online.
it is wonderful to be here at the Final meeting of the IDA21 replenishment.
Clearly we are meeting under more difficult circumstances than when we had originally planned this meeting. We are relieved that things have called down and that we can now turn to the purpose of this meeting – the finalization of the IDA21 replenishment.
To mark the occasion, we have started this meeting in a different way - with cultural performances and artists….. from young Yeonah Kim's brilliant performance to the moving story of Korea's transformation to Emi’s poignant poem, we see how the right investments in people create ripples across generations.
Over the next two days, we will be discussing this — how, by working together, we can leverage the incredible power of IDA to invest in the future of 78 low-income countries around the world.
This is more than a pledging session – it is a testament to the enduring power of multilateralism and our collective belief that we are stronger together.
We meet at a pivotal time. The world faces unprecedented, larger-than-life challenges – from climate disasters to conflicts, from poverty to pandemics. Yet in this room, I see unprecedented resolve and solidarity.
I see it in the extraordinary early commitments from our donors, who have demonstrated bold leadership with significant increases in their pledges in national currency despite challenging global conditions.
This is the ultimate reflection of the domestic efforts to secure funding for IDA.
Of course, every contribution is leveraged.
Take one dollar contributed we will be able to provide nearly $4 dollars in mostly concessional financing to IDA countries, creating real, measurable impact where it’s most needed. This is value for money
Over the past year, we have appreciated our dialogue and exchanges with the IDA beneficiary countries, which have shared their development aspirations. see IDA as a critical investment vehicle for advancing a better future.
And of course, we have also appreciated the incredible commitment by the IDA deputies and their teams to prepare this strong package which we will be discussing over the next two days.
This is just the beginning. Our decisions this week will bolster IDA and strengthen its lifeline to countries in the years ahead.
What does this mean in practical terms?
It means helping 300 million people in Africa gain access to electricity—in partnership with the African Development Bank.
It means improving health services for 1.5 billion people.
Strengthening social safety nets for people facing recurring shocks.
And leading the way in finance for climate adaptation.
As Emi's poem reminded us: "Disaster has never carved a wound that sisterhood couldn't mend, never brought a hunger that brotherhood couldn't feed, never torn a fissure that humanity couldn't heal."
This is IDA's promise –
- Not just aid, but transformation.
- Not just funding, but partnership.
- Not just resources, but results.
We're engineering a better bank for a changing world, streamlining our operations and increasing our impact.
And crucially, IDA puts decision-making in the hands of our clients and building capacity for sustainable development.
The journey of our host country, Korea, from IDA recipient to donor, shows what's possible when we invest in human potential.
Now it's our turn to help write the next chapter of this story for millions more.
As we enter these discussions here, let's remember what's at stake –
- The lives we can transform,
- The futures we can unlock, and
- The world we can build together.
The pledges made in this room will send a strong signal to the hundreds of millions of beneficiary in IDA countries that we stand in solidarity and shared commitment to work together.
