1.2 billion young people to jostle for 400 million jobs globally – World Bank president

In a recent address, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga emphasized the need for international collaboration to address the anticipated surge of young people entering the global job market. He noted that over the next decade or so, 1.2 billion young individuals will compete for approximately 400 million positions. Speaking at the 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings Plenary in Thailand, Banga stressed that the decisions made by governments and institutions over the next 10 to 15 years will significantly impact the future of development.

He proposed that public finance, private investment, philanthropy, and technology should be coordinated to meet each country's specific needs.

Banga highlighted several advancements made by the World Bank in recent years, such as halving the time required for project preparation and reducing the number of scorecard measures. He also mentioned the allocation of over $100 billion in additional International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) lending capacity, an increase in co-financing for approximately 250 projects, and the work of the Jobs Council in identifying effective policies and programs.

Financing efforts reached nearly $230 billion last year, with mobilization tripling in lower-middle-income countries, quadrupling in upper-middle-income countries, and more than doubling in Africa. Over 55 percent of the World Bank's financing and private capital went towards sectors like agribusiness, health, tourism, energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

The MSME strategy aims to enhance the visibility and funding of these smaller businesses through digital records, linking them to larger buyers, and streamlining regulations. Additionally, Banga discussed initiatives related to AI adoption, connectivity, device access, and safeguards, citing partnerships on electricity for 300 million people by 2030 and water security for up to one billion people.

He announced new country-specific compacts with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to foster local industries in 20 nations and six MDBs developing methods to transfer investments to investors for new project funding.

Banga paid tribute to the founders of the World Bank, established at the Bretton Woods Conference, for understanding that prosperity should not be a prize won by one nation at the expense of another. He stressed that prosperity should be a shared warmth for every house within reach.