Niger visit: World Bank President to speak on Development Policy in a Time of Crisis
World Bank Group President David Malpass is expected to travel to Niamey at the end of March where he should meet with the Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum to discuss on issues bothering on policy development.
On March 30 , he will deliver a speech titled “Rethinking Development Policy in a Time of Crisis,” during which he will discuss the challenges facing development policy including the need for macroeconomic stability, the importance of private capital to international integration, and the increasing need to support global public goods.
President Malpass will emphasize the role of education in supporting growth and creating pathways out of fragility and extremism, which are both critical for Africa’s Sahel Region. The live-streamed speech will be hosted by the University of Niamey, Niger.
Last year, the World Bank Chief highlighted the WBG’s strong support for the Nigerien people through IDA’s projects and new commitments, including budget support, emphasizing the importance of access to education, especially for girls and the need to improve quality of education services.
President Malpass also emphasized the importance of strong leadership and improved donor coordination in the education sector given rapidly increasing young population.
Malpass and Bazoum also spoke about the impacts of climate change. President Malpass was also glad to discuss the WBG’s recently published Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) for G5 Sahel, which outlines climate adaptation priorities for the region and financing requirements.
Malpass noted Niger’s resilience to the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region. President Malpass and President Bazoum exchanged views on how to strengthen regional cooperation of the Sahel countries and better coordinate international aid to tackle drivers of conflict, including inflow of weapons.