The World Bank’s role in Oman’s Vision 2040 Wendy Werner September 15, 2026 This page in: English العربية

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/arabvoices/world-bank-s-role-in-oman-s-vision-2040- Originally published in the Oman Observer on September 1. From the era of dhow fleets and ancient spice routes to today’s deep-water ports, Oman’s strategic location at the crossroads of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean has long made it a vibrant trade hub linking Africa, Asia, and theMiddle East. That outward looking spirit now underpins Vision 2040—the Sultanate’s plan to reduce dependence on oil and gas and build a diversified, sustainable, technology driven economy.

Paying fishers to save sharks killed more sharks Gabriel Englander September 16, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/impactevaluations/paying-fishers-to-save-sharks-killed-more-sharks Sometimes when a surprising paper comes out, I don’t immediately read it to understand why its counterintuitive result occurs. So I keep it on the burner in the back of my mind. And when I do get to it, my satisfaction is all the greater for my curiosity having simmered for so long. That’s how it went with the first-ever marine conservation RCT, published by Hollie Booth et al. in 2025.

A pragmatic roadmap with five priorities for public sector data sharing Roberto PiteaRavi Kumar September 16, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/a-pragmatic-roadmap-with-five-priorities-for-public-sector-data- Governments increasingly recognize that administrative data are not just a by-product of public services. Used responsibly and effectively, they can improve service delivery, play a vital role in the national digital agenda, and inform policy against a global backdrop of declining response rates to statistical surveys.

Malaysia’s growth is leaving cities behind Fionne Lim September 17, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/malaysia-s-growth-is-leaving-cities-behind Many countries run their urban economies the same way: investment and opportunity concentrate in a handful of large cities, while mid-sized cities with real productive capacity contribute well below their potential. The result is a system under strain at the top and underperforming everywhere else. A new World Bank report on unlocking state-level growth in Malaysia documents this story with evidence. Using two diagnostic tools — Zipf’s Law and an Economic Potential Index (EPI) — the report identifies specific mid-sized cities as places with real strategic assets that are not yet converting them into growth.

Can today’s agricultural surveys power tomorrow’s agricultural AI? Mohammad Abul Azad September 17, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/can-today-s-agricultural-surveys-power-tomorrow-s-agricultural-a Artificial intelligence is rapidly opening new possibilities for agriculture. From predicting crop yields and detecting pests to providing customized agronomic advice and improving access to markets and finance, AI could help farmers make better decisions and governments design more responsive agricultural policies. For agriculture in Africa, where smallholder farmers often operate with limited access to information, extension services, and climate-risk tools, these possibilities are particularly compelling.

Weekly links September 18: gender inequality in India, sleep, jobs, farms, and more… David McKenzie September 18, 2026

Weekly links September 18: gender inequality in India, sleep, jobs, farms, and more… David McKenzie September 18, 2026 https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/impactevaluations/weekly-links-september-18--gender-inequality-in-india--sleep--jo Seema Jayachandran and Pranab Bardhan talk on gender inequality and development on Pranab’s substack: On early life health“Two things seem to be going on, and both stem from the specific form that son preference takes in India, and other cultures that practice patrilineality: the eldest son in the family is the special one. That’s why among boys, you see a drop-off in health inputs and outcomes as you go from older to younger brothers. What’s going on with girls is more subtle and it goes back to the quest for a son….”… and discussion also on low female labor force participation “Bangladesh is the “demonstration project” for India. Bringing in female-friendly jobs --- not just employers who have demand for female labor, but workplaces engineered to fit with female seclusion norms -- might, in turn, cause the norms to erode. A lot of current academic work on female employment is in that vein, for example studying work-from-home jobs for women with the conjecture that they might be a stepping stone for those women (or subsequent generations) to eventually have more freedom to work outside the home”

Who moves up and why? A closer look at the 2026-2027 release of the World Bank Group Country Income Classifications Eric MetreauKathryn Elizabeth YoungShwetha Grace Eapen July 01, 2026 This page in: English Français Español العربية 中文 日本語

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/who-moves-up-and-why--a-closer-look-at-the-new-world-bank-group- Since 1987, the global income classification landscape has changed significantly, with the share of economies classified as low-income declining from 30% to 11%. These shifts have not been evenly distributed, however, with some countries moving across income groups much faster than others. This year’s update to the World Bank Group Country Income Classifications shows six countries moved to a higher income category, but each has a different story to tell: a country emerging from economic crisis, an export powerhouse outpacing its peers, and an economy that turned out to be 10% larger than previously thought are just three of them.