From crisis to resilience: World Bank Group Spring Meetings to focus on helping countries build green, resilient recovery

The lingering pandemic has dealt the global economy an unprecedented shock, and the recovery is likely to be slow and uneven. The current crisis is exacerbating inequalities throughout the world and, without access to vaccines, the gap will widen further.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 has made clear the need to establish a better way to handle the debt-financing needs of developing economies. And for a sustainable future, solutions are most urgently needed in developing countries, where the investment gap is deepest, and people are most disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. So, what will it take to shape a resilient recovery that works for people and the planet?

Taking place fully virtually, the 2021 World Bank Group/IMF Spring Meetings will center around “helping countries build a green and resilient recovery.”  Leaders from government, business, international organizations, and civil society, along with a diverse group of experts, will discuss these global challenges and the path ahead to achieve resilient recovery.

The 2021 Spring Meetings will take place from April 5 -11. 

What you’ll learn

New this year, on each event page, you’ll find many resources on the topics discussed from reports and research to “thought leadership” and feature stories and blogs. Our panelists and experts will discuss:

• How to achieve a green recovery and rebuild economic systems to better use resources and create a climate-friendly future.
• How firms can reinvent themselves to create more jobs, and how governments can find new ways to transform the crisis into an opportunity for growth. How youth can avoid the risk of a “lost generation.”
• How policy makers can ensure that everyone benefits from the recovery and inequality is not worsened. This includes attention to the ways the pandemic has disproportionately affected women and girls.
•  Different perspectives on a new international financial architecture for debt, highlighting the consequences of inaction for poverty and development.
• Policy options countries should have to enhance resilient debt financing, support efficient debt restructuring when needed, and increase debt transparency.
• What is needed to help countries prepare for and invest in low-carbon, resilient development. What it will take to shape a resilient recovery that works for people and planet.
• The work underway in developing countries to prepare for large scale vaccine rollouts; the strengths and gaps in country readiness; measures to ensure access and distribution; and the importance of partnerships and cooperation across all stakeholders for success.
• The private sector’s essential role in driving innovation, production, and manufacturing to meet the enormous needs for COVID-19 vaccines, tests and therapeutics.
• How COVID-19 has created opportunities and challenges across research, finance and policy, as we work to build more resilient health and economic systems now –and in the future.

How to follow

If you’re like those of us global development professionals, you’re anticipating attending some World Bank Group sessions, and hearing some amazing speakers. You’re probably also looking through the schedule trying to figure out which sessions to attend or tune in.

Here are six ways to follow and engage with what the World Bank Group’s Spring Meetings activities have to offer. 

1. Connect with top development experts

Together with World Bank Group and IMF leadership and top experts, this year’s speakers include leaders from government, business, international organizations, and civil society  who will share the best solutions for today’s dire global development issues. Have a question for them? Submit it ahead of the event and join the conversation LIVE. The most voted questions will be answered by our panelists and experts.