The International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s Spring Meetings in Washington have told a tale of two economies: In the developed world, inflation is falling, and recession looks unlikely. But many of the world’s poorest countries are struggling under tremendous debt burdens inflated by rising interest rates that threaten to undo decades of development progress. That means these key lenders of last resort have their work cut out for them. But according to GZERO Senior Writer Matthew Kendrick, there's a proven model.
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Watch the latest Global Stage interviews and livestreams on the trends at the intersection of technology, politics and society.
World Bank announces plan to bring power to 300 million in Africa
April 18, 2024
During the World Bank's annual Spring Meetings this week, the group announced a major new initiative to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030. It is estimated that nearly 800 million people globally lack access to power, and the vast majority of them, 600 million, live on the African continent. GZERO’s Tony Maciulis met with the World Bank’s Director of Infrastructure for West Africa Franz Drees-Gross, to discuss the project's details.
Half the world can’t access healthcare. How can the World Bank help?
April 18, 2024
Globally, a shocking 4.5 billion people — more than half the world’s population — lack access to essential healthcare and another 2 billion have to make tough financial choices to find care. That means for the majority of people on earth when a child is sick, families can’t get medicine; when a mother gives birth, the delivery is unsafe; when people develop chronic conditions, they go untreated.
World Bank economist: The poorest are getting poorer globally
April 17, 2024
The combined shocks of multiple crises, including the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, food insecurity, and inflation, have taken a massive toll on the 75 least developed economies, according to World Bank Group’s Deputy Chief Economist Ayhan Kose.
Online violence means real-world danger for women in politics like EU's Lucia Nicholsonová
March 21, 2024
Lucia Nicholsonová, former Slovak National Assembly vice president and current member of European Parliament for Slovakia, recounts her harrowing personal experiences with disinformation campaigns and gendered hate speech online during a GZERO Global Stage discussion on gender equality in the age of AI.
The online abuse crisis threatens the mental health of young women worldwide
March 20, 2024
On the internet, more than half of young women encounter abuse and harassment, some as young as eight. Michelle Milford Morse of the UN Foundation emphasizes that this takes a huge toll on their mental health.
What impact will AI have on gender equality?
March 18, 2024
At the current rate of progress toward gender equality, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take 131 years for women to attain parity in income, status, and leadership. While technology is a powerful tool to help close the gender gap, it can also be weaponized.
Digital Governance
Voters beware: Elections and the looming threat of deepfakes
March 05, 2024
With AI tools already being used to manipulate voters across the globe via deepfakes, more needs to be done to help people comprehend what this technology is capable of, says Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith.
Protect free media in democracies, urges Estonia's former president Kersti Kaljulaid
March 03, 2024
In recent years, numerous reports and studies have emerged warning that democracies around the world are backsliding and autocracy is on the rise. A free media could be the key to reversing this trend, according to former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid.
Deepfakes and dissent: How AI makes the opposition more dangerous
February 29, 2024
Former US National Security Council advisor Fiona Hill has plenty of experience dealing with dangerous dictators – but 2024 is even throwing her some curveballs.
AI vs. truth: Battling deepfakes amid 2024 elections
February 25, 2024
European Parliament member Eva Maydell said she fears we will soon be unable to separate fact from deepfake fiction.