Middle East and Central Asia © 2026 The World Bank Group,

Middle East and Central Asia The diverse Middle East and Central Asia region, home to nearly 700 million people, faces five overarching development challenges: unemployment (especially for women and youth), climate change, gender inequality, food and water insecurity, and a lack of competitiveness while several parts are deeply affected by ongoing conflict and fragility. https://www.ifc.org/en/where-we-work/middle-east © 2026 The World Bank Group,