Moving toward an outcome-based approach for digital sovereignty Ambrose WongJeremy NgTaylor ReynoldsDavid SatolaAubra Anthony June 23, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/digital-development/moving-toward-an-outcome-based-approach-for-digital-sovereignty- Digital sovereignty has become one of the most prominent – and contested – concepts shaping how lower-and-middle income countries approach an increasingly AI-driven world. At the heart of this debate is a practical reality: the infrastructure and systems underpinning their digital economies are often built, owned, or operated by actors they don't fully control or regulate. As AI reshapes how countries deliver services, the question of navigating these links has never mattered more.

Introducing IDEA – the International Development Economics Association Owen Ozier June 24, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/impactevaluations/introducing-idea---the-international-development-economics-assoc Labor economists have the Society of Labor Economists. Health economists have the International Health Economics Association. Economic historians have the Economic History Association. What about development economists? Development economists now have a global professional home. The International Development Economics Association (IDEA), founded in January 2026 by a Founding Board of 89 scholars from over 40 countries, invites development economists worldwide to join its community today. I am writing as a member of the first elected Board of Directors. Our board of directors spans six continents; we started work in April, 2026. If you prefer news in video format, here’s a short video that introduces IDEA, featuring Dean Yang, Farah Said, Ashani Amarasinghe, Nishith Prakash, Emily Beam, Giorgio Chiovelli, Tarun Jain, Paolo Falco, Edward Asiedu, Eric Edmonds, Willa Friedman, and me.

Investing in the future: ensuring women-led small businesses can thrive Najada KumbuliSophie Sirtaine June 24, 2026 This page in: English 中文

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/voices/investing-in-the-future-ensuring-women-led-small-businesses-can-thrive When we picture engines of economic growth and job creation, we tend to think of large multinational companies and global brands. Yet, in emerging and developing economies, it is primarily micro, small, and medium-sized businesses that play this critical role. Small and medium-sized businesses represent around 90 percent of all businesses worldwide, and account for more than half of global employment. In developing countries, these businesses are critical to economic diversity and poverty reduction, creating jobs that provide not just incomes but also purpose and dignity for people within their local communities.

Microfinance's promise was oversold, not broken Shahid Khandker June 25, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/developmenttalk/microfinance-s-promise-was-oversold--not-broken The Wall Street Journal recently published a sobering account of microfinance's shortcomings, documenting troubling cases of over-indebtedness, land loss, and borrower distress in countries such as Cambodia. These stories deserve attention. Excessive lending, weak consumer protection, and commercialization without adequate safeguards can harm the very people financial inclusion is supposed to help.

Ten years, one long road: what Brazil learned while reinventing upper secondary education Leandro CostaDanilo Leite Dalmon June 25, 2026 This page in: English Portuguese

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/latinamerica/ten-years--one-long-road--what-brazil-learned-while-reinventing- In 2015, Brazil's upper secondary education system was falling short by every measure. School days lasted just four hours. And for too many young people, the classroom felt entirely disconnected from their futures. By age 19, barely 55 percent of students had graduated, nearly three in ten were two or more years behind their expected grade, and only 21 percent met minimum proficiency in Portuguese — just 3 percent in mathematics. That was the starting point for one of the most far-reaching education reforms in the region.

From Strategic Investment to Tangible Results: Notable examples from the Human Capital Trust Fund Sara Lucia SotoAditi LalKelly Johnson June 26, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/investinpeople/human-capital-trust-fund--from-investment-to-results Two-thirds of the income gap between developed and developing countries can be attributed to disparities in human capital. Yet, budgets for critical human capital investments are tightening right when investment is needed most as we see gains slowing. Many countries are responding by adding funds on top of fragmented systems, but this rarely produces sustained results. Instead, governments need to be strategic about their investments so that they translate into tangible results for growth and productivity.

What Nepal's smallest businesses reveal Jumana AlarefAishwarya PatilMohamed Ihsan Ajwad June 27, 2026 This page in: English

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/endpovertyinsouthasia/what-nepal-s-smallest-businesses-reveal- A woman weighing onions on a hand scale. A tailor working from a single sewing machine in a converted room. A mobile tea seller set up where the foot traffic is best. These microentrepreneurs are a familiar sight along the busy streets of Kathmandu. But despite their visibility on the streets, they are almost entirely invisible in official statistics. Policymakers know surprisingly little about these microentrepreneurs and their businesses, including who runs them, how they perform, and what would help them grow.