The World Bank Group has suspended its programs in Russia and Belarus citing “the Russian invasion of Ukraine and hostilities against the people of Ukraine.”
As Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine intensifies, Russia is being increasingly isolated and cut off from the international institutions that oppose its violations of international law and a rules-based international order. The world’s most influential development bank is among the latest to sever ties — and it was joined by one of Russia’s own representatives to the institution.
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In its statement on Wednesday, the bank noted it has not approved new loans or investments for Russia since 2014 and has not approved new lending to Belarus since mid-2020, but said it has “stopped all its programs in Russia and Belarus with immediate effect.”
The World Bank has provided Russia with Reimbursable Advisory Services — expertise offered at the client country’s request — and these will also be suspended.
Recently-approved projects in Belarus focused on COVID-19 response, higher education, and energy.
The announcement Wednesday came shortly after a senior adviser to Russia’s executive director at the World Bank resigned in protest. “In view of the ongoing events I can no longer associate myself with my government, and will have to resign my position,” Boris Lvin wrote in an email.
It also followed a joint statement by World Bank President David Malpass and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday that outlined assistance plans for Ukraine but did not mention Russia.
Earlier Wednesday, the U.N. General Assembly voted 141 to 5 — with 35 abstentions — in favor of a resolution demanding that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
In the line of fire
The U.S. Agency for International Development on Friday — in an email I obtained — instructed implementing partners to “review any public-facing digital content and social media regarding Ukraine that may have personal identifiable information” and remove it from the internet.
While the crises are very different, that guidance very closely mirrors emails sent out during the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August. Democracy advocates are once again on the front lines of conflict. Those who have worked with Western agencies and organizations are now in the literal crosshairs of Russia’s attack on an independent Ukraine.
Chipping in
On Wednesday, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi reported that 1 million people have now fled Ukraine to neighboring countries.
The Netherlands-based IKEA Foundation is answering the U.N.’s call for $1.7 billion to respond to the crisis in Ukraine with a $22 million donation to the UN Refugee Agency, Stephanie Beasley reports.
IKEA has stores in Russia and Ukraine, and the brand’s parent company, Ingka Group, says it expects to be affected by sanctions imposed on Russia.
Two Denmark-based foundations focused on children and families, the LEGO Foundation and Ole Kirk’s Fond, also announced humanitarian donations for Ukraine this week.
IKEA Foundation: €20M pledged to UNHCR for displaced Ukrainians
And while I might be preaching to the choir, here is your regular reminder not to send unsolicited material donations to Ukraine, courtesy of Juanita Rilling — aka “the warrior queen of unsolicited donations.”
Growing pains
An independent evaluation of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa has found that the initiative “did not meet its headline goal of increased incomes and food security for 9 million smallholders.”
My colleague Rumbi Chakamba reports that AGRA’s five-year strategy, begun in 2017 and called the Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa, has helped improve the business environment for smallholder farmers, but has achieved mixed results when it comes to actually improving farmer outcomes.
Read: How AGRA has failed to improve Africa's food security [Pro]
ICYMI: 6 African food security experts to watch
+ Here are two things you can do today: If you’re interested in more global food system news, sign up to Devex Dish, our free Wednesday newsletter. And if you haven’t gone Pro yet and want to access the AGRA article, start your 15-day free Pro trial now.
Losing ground
The Masai of Tanzania are fighting a looming threat of eviction — from Loliondo and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Serengeti ecosystem — to make way for a wildlife corridor, Anthony Langat reports for Devex.
“The land central to the current dispute is a 1,500 square kilometer (580 square mile) portion that would be used for trophy hunting and tourism by the United Arab Emirates-based Otterlo Business Corporation — a game hunting company that has been licensed in Loliondo since 1992,” Anthony writes.
“At a meeting with the pastoralists, [Tanzanian] Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said experts were concerned by the growing number of livestock kept by the Masai in the area, which poses a threat to the sustainability of wildlife and tourism — through which ‘the government earns billion of shillings used to facilitate development of other sectors and provision of social services.’”
Fighting eviction: Tanzania's Masai vs. UNESCO World Heritage Site
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In other news
Representatives of 175 U.N. member states agreed Wednesday to begin negotiations on a legally binding global plastic treaty, the first of its kind. [New York Times]
U.N. chief António Guterres has appointed Costa Rica’s former minister for education Leonardo Garnier as his special adviser on the Transforming Education Summit, which will take place in September. [Xinhua]
The U.N. has launched a formal investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by Irish peacekeeping soldiers in Lebanon. [Irish Times]
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About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
