Fragility, Conflict & Violence

The disturbing trend of rising and compounding crises points to an urgent need for the international community to come together and develop new and innovative approaches to support countries facing conflict and fragility.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed participants at the Ministerial Roundtable Discussion for Support to Ukraine on 21 April via video link from Ukraine. 

As complexity and uncertainty become the new normal, the Fragility Forum 2022 will explore how the international community can best support countries affected by FCV in a dramatically changing global landscape. It will revisit some of the key findings of the 2011 World Development Report: Conflict, Security and Development, look into the evolution of the global response to FCV since then, and consider how to adapt it to new, dynamic contexts.

The Fragility Forum 2020 Seminar Series is a virtual and interactive series of events organized by the World Bank to share practical solutions and explore innovative ways of responding to the most challenging FCV issues of our times. As we formally close this year’s Fragility Forum, we will reflect on key takeaways relevant to future engagements in fragile contexts and the importance of sharing lessons learned to foster sustainable change. We will also advocate in favor of stronger partnerships across humanitarian, development and peace actors to respond to the impacts of COVID19, and for increased support to low- and middle-income countries exposed to fragilities to boost resilience and to lead more potent and adapted strategies in preventing conflict and mitigating its impacts. Welcome to the Fragility Forum   View the Fragility Forum 2020 Kickoff Session from June 9 2020   View the Fragility Forum 2020 Session from June 23 2020   View the Fragility Forum 2020 Session | Afghanistan Crossroads: Troop Withdrawals, Taliban Expansion and Declining Foreign Assistance from July 21 2020 View ...

How can we help the weakest countries and those affected by violence and conflict respond to the #Coronavirus pandemic? Economic growth, stronger institutions and social cohesion will be vital in helping the weakest regions recover from #Coronavirus. Join our Senior Director Franck Bousquet as he discusses the challenges. 

Visit the USIP event site to register. COVID-19 has overwhelmed some of the world’s most robust healthcare systems and imperiled its richest economies. For countries experiencing fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV), COVID-19 adds even greater stress, threatening to reverse decades of advancements in poverty reduction and development. In these settings, the fallout from the pandemic may strain the social fabric in ways that deepen fragility and exacerbate protracted crises—with potentially devastating impacts on the health and livelihoods of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Join United States Institute of Peace and the World Bank Group as we examine international efforts to respond to the first- and second-order impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in fragile states. Panelists will draw lessons from other recent outbreaks to consider what works in tackling pandemics on the ground in FCV settings, as well as how actors can work together to ensure responses to the COVID-19 crisis do not exacerbate existing drivers of fragility. ...

Why is addressing fragility and conflict critical for meeting poverty goals? Join us to discuss the new global report that presents new estimates of economic welfare in fragile and conflict-affected situations and analyzes the multidimensional nature of poverty in these settings. After a brief presentation of the report’s findings by the lead author, the high-level panel will discuss implications for the fight against poverty. Read the report here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/publication/fragility-conflict-on-the-front-lines-fight-against-poverty

Welcome to Behind the Mission, the World Bank Group’s new series on LinkedIn where we discuss current career opportunities and hear from staff about their experiences. The Bank aims to scale up its presence in Fragile, Conflict and Violence (FCV) settings, filling over 100 positions this year. We went live with Geremie Sawadogo, Recruitment Manager from Human Resources at the World Bank Group, and Rebekka Grunn, Senior Economist for Social Protection and Labor in Africa at the World Bank. They answered  questions about these job openings and told us what it’s like to work in FCV settings. Please follow this link to learn more about our recruitment campaign to support countries facing Fragility, Conflict and Violence: https://lnkd.in/dbPZJB7

Sub-Saharan African countries host the second largest number of refugees in the world, with nearly 6.6 million displaced people as of 2018. Despite open borders, progressive refugee policies and the support of development organizations and host communities, many refugees still have limited access to services such as education and health care, hindering their ability to develop the skills needed for self-reliance or to contribute to the betterment of their host communities and home countries. What will it take to expand access to education, health care and skills development among refugee communities?

The State of the Africa Region event opened on a musical note with a performance by Menes la Plume, a songwriter, hip-hop artist and poet. La Plume, a refugee and activist living in Malawi, closed with a crowd-pleasing rendition of “Malaika.”    Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Vice President for Africa, welcomed the standing-room only crowd, highlighting the need for regional cooperation in tackling entrenched challenges, particularly fragility, the effects of which traverse national borders. He spoke of the importance of digital interventions in transforming African economies, sharing the story of a young Malian man who used a 3D printer to build a prosthetic hand for a girl who had lost hers as an example of young people using technology to create solutions.  Albert Zeufack, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, added that the digital revolution could add up to 2 percentage points to Africa’s growth annually, while reducing poverty by 1 percentage point.  There was a touching moment of solidarity when Hassan ...

This is a Facebook Live interview. Watch the replay!  As part of our Spring Meetings 2018 Interview Series, we will be talking with Imad Malhas, ​CEO, IrisGuard, on how technology can help in the financial inclusion of displaced people. 

A lively and, at times, heated discussion centered around what is arguably the greatest challenge facing development today – state fragility. Previously considered to be a phenomenon of low-income countries, fragility now afflicts middle- and even high-income countries, such as those in the Middle East. Moderated by author and journalist Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, the roundtable discussion featured three major global actors on state fragility: the Commission on State Fragility, Growth and Development, represented by Donald Kaberuka and Sir Paul Collier; the IMF’s Tao Zhang; and the WBG’s Kristalina Georgieva. “Be there, stay there” was a key takeaway from the panel, which highlighted Rwanda as a success story to learn from but acknowledged the global development community’s many failed efforts to lift states out of fragility. So which strategies will work? Everyone agreed they don’t revolve solely around money. Rather, they should focus on local people, economic growth, and job creation. Locals must have ownership of the rebuilding ...

This session will bring together International Finance Corporation (IFC) CEO Philippe Le Houerou with senior country representatives and CEOs to explore the role that the private sector plays in development and stability of fragile and conflict-affected countries, and instruments that development organizations can use to help de-risk and catalyze greater private investment flows to these markets.

This session is aimed at highlighting knowledge and experiences to underscore the need for renewing the approach to recovery and reconstruction in conflict-affected countries, harnessing the partnership taking place between WB, EU, UN that treats crisis response as a continuous process toward peacebuilding, a process that goes beyond rebuilding physical infrastructure to address underlying drivers of conflict, that helps rebuild and strengthen policies and institutions, and that encourages broader partnerships to achieve sustainable peace. In this light, reconstruction efforts would need to be programmed to serve as mechanisms for restoring/recreating trust between citizens and the State, through fostering empowerment and inclusion of citizens in decision making, and through implementation and monitoring of the reconstruction program at national and local levels.  A critical element of the program will be to ensure strong foundations for economic prosperity and job creation. The goal would also be to strengthen international partners and national stakeholders to coalesce around a common agenda in support of ...

The spread of a radical ideology and organized crime in the Sahel has been linked to the lack of administrative presence, provision of social services, economic growth and protection for the communities concerned, particularly in remote locations. Recent developments have been met with military, and humanitarian operations responding to the urgent needs of imperiled, vulnerable populations. Whilst strategic frameworks recognize the nexus between security and development, the operational reality of promoting medium- to long-term development initiatives in environments where security conditions are lacking is complicated.

Following the adoption of the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants and commitments made at the Leaders’ Summit in September 2016, many refugee hosting countries are changing the way protracted crises are managed, pursuing policy reforms and social and economic interventions that can benefit both refugees and host communities. As the Global Compact on Refugees takes shape for discussion at UNGA2018, this event highlights perspectives from a diverse group of host countries to learn about what works, and where we need to do better – and how the international community can support efforts to better manage refugee situations.

This high-level event will open the 2018 Fragility Forum with a strategic discussion on “Managing Risks for Peace and Stability.” Comprised of senior officials from governments and multilateral institutions, the panel will offer unique perspectives on how the international community can partner most effectively to confront fragility, with a specific focus on the role of prevention in mitigating key risks such as violent conflict, violent extremism, and human-driven crises. The session will introduce some of the central themes to be explored in greater detail at the Forum, including how to leverage humanitarian, security and development actors to address shared challenges like forced displacement; drawing on innovative financing tools and private investment to help governments enhance economic opportunities in fragile settings; and placing gender at the heart of global efforts to foster more inclusive, stable, and peaceful societies. Finally, with an increasing share of the world’s poor living in settings affected by fragility, conflict, and violence in both low- and middle-income ...

On Friday, October 13th, 2:45pm, find out how preventing violent extremism can help us reach the goal to #EndPoverty by 2030. Tune in for the live interview with Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), during the World Bank/IMF 2017 Annual Meetings and leave your question in the comments below.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim spoke with Chobani CEO & Tent Foundation Founder, Hamdi Ulukaya, about his mission to rewrite the rules of business to create shared prosperity and help refugees. The session put a spotlight on the issue of forced displacement and the role the private sector can play. He mentioned how little the world of business is involved in tackling the forced displacement issue, adding that the topic of refugees has a branding issue that needs to be fixed. He discussed the need to move beyond typical “corporate social responsibility” programs and use the core business to drive change for refugees. He shared the story of how he first learned about the refugees resettled in the city of Utica in New York state and his efforts to employ refugees – currently a third of the company’s workforce are refugees. Ulukaya also highlighted the need to address income inequality, which he described as "a major issue." Not only ...

With over 1.2 billion people living in countries affected by conflict and instability, promoting the development of a robust private sector is a critical challenge on the global development agenda. In these fragile environments, private enterprises face complex political, regulatory, operational and security-related challenges. IFC is taking a new approach to promoting market growth and opportunity in these areas – expanding its presence on the ground and deploying new financial instruments to stimulate greater investment levels and local currency financing. This session will focus on how private firms operate in conflict-affected contexts, and seek to provide innovative ideas for how the development community can support private enterprise in these markets. 

The need for better financing solutions to tackle the challenges of fragility, conflict and violence, across a diverse group of low- and middle-income countries, was the focus of this high-level discussion. How to work with the private sector and scale up innovative approaches were key themes. In recent years, the world has witnessed an “expansion of the footprint of crisis,” said World Bank CEO, Kristalina Georgieva. What is needed is to bring private finance and trade to places where it would normally not go: “If you bring down the risk for private investors, the money will flow,” she said. For Colombia, a middle-income country transitioning to peace, how to pay for peace is a central issue. Sharing his country’s experience, “We have just passed a comprehensive tax reform, including green taxes on carbon emissions that will help to finance peace. We have also created tax benefits for private sector actors willing to invest in conflict-affected parts,” said Mauricio Cá...

Middle-income countries (MICs) currently host roughly 6 million refugees, with over 80% of them in the Middle East and North Africa or in Turkey. But even as they perform this global public good, middle-income host countries struggle to meet the costs associated with an influx of refugees. Join us for a live ministerial event to discuss how the Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) is helping support refugees and host communities in Jordan and Lebanon, and how this global facility can prepare to meet similar future crises in other MICs. Check out the key takeaways from this event: In one short year, the Global Concessional Financing Facility (GCFF) has unlocked US$1 billion in concessional financing to support Syrian refugees and the communities that host them in Jordan and Lebanon. As middle income countries, Jordan and Lebanon do not have access to the kind of concessional financing reserved for the world’s poorest countries. This is despite the fact they host the largest number ...

By the time you have read this, somewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean someone has probably died by homicide. In fact, the region sees at least four homicide victims every 15 minutes. As insecurity has skyrocketed over the years it has become abundantly clear that there is no magic formula or policy to address it. We will not solve this problem by relying solely on heavier law enforcement, on higher education, or on lower unemployment; but instead through a combined approach. The report “Stop the violence in Latin America” looks at prevention in a new and comprehensive way.  It argues that effective prevention starts before birth, and, contrary to common perceptions, well-designed policies can also be successful for adults, for at-risk individuals and for offenders.

In a world of growing global risks, over 80 % of humanitarian needs are in conflict-affected situations, and poverty is increasingly concentrated in these areas. There is consensus that the global community needs to focus on prevention rather than crisis response, building partnerships across humanitarian, development, security and diplomatic communities. This special event aims to share experiences on what works in practice, to better understand the role of development in preventing violent conflict.

With the number of refugees and displaced persons at historic highs, forced displacement has become a global crisis with developmental repercussions. While refugees are creating a crisis in Europe, host countries in Africa and MENA have been shouldering a much heavier burden for years. Supporting the welfare of refugees constitutes a global public good. Improving the development response will require innovative approaches and close coordination between humanitarian, development and all global partners, including governments. Co-hosted by UNHCR and the World Bank Group, this event will draw on partners’ experience and improved data to inform the discussion on a comprehensive and sustained development approach to the challenge of forced displacement. Related Links: Join the discussion on forced displacement at the IMF-WBG Spring Meetings 2016 Struggles of a Syrian Refugee Family in Lebanon About Forced Displacement DATA: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum Impact of the Syrian Crisis Global Program on Forced Displacement Road to Refuge Fragility, Conflict and Violence Blog: ...

A growing economy, a bigger middle class, and less poverty: three attributes which aren’t necessarily associated with a country that has seen 50 years of armed conflict. However, Colombia is all this and more, and the hopes for the country’s well-being are even higher in a post-conflict era. While the country is ready to finally put an end to half a century of violence, it is also winning other battles, for example the fight against poverty, which lifted more than 6 million Colombians from poverty between 2002 and 2014. Colombia’s vibrant economy is projected to grow more than the regional average of 3%, which will protect the social gains of the last decade. Nonetheless, the enormous challenge of consolidating the peace process in a lasting and sustainable way remains. Colombia has learned many lessons and faces yet more challenges on how to deal with development and the conflict, some of which will be the topic of a diverse online debate this week. ...

This year’s State of the Africa Region seminar will focus on the challenges and opportunities facing Africa in a changing world. Hear from the World Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa as he presents the implications of lower oil and other commodity prices for a region that exports a large number of commodities. Join the discussion on this and other long term challenges facing Africa: the demographic transition; the urbanization process; and the changing nature of conflict and fragility.

More than 1.2 billion people live in areas where the daily reality of war, violence and fragility robs them of access to education, public services, and other pathways to prosperity. The number of global poor living in fragile and conflict states is projected to double by 2030. To end extreme poverty by 2030, the world needs to address the challenges posed by fragile, conflict-affected and violent states. Tune in for a high-level discussion on what governments, organizations and others can do to create opportunities for stability, growth and prosperity in fragile and conflict-affected situations.

This livestreamed event aims to raise awareness of the need to ramp up financing in areas affected by conflict and fragility while considering the World Bank Group’s role as a convener of finance across a range of instruments.