At this week’s World Bank Spring Meetings, the buzzword is jobs, and specifically how they can offer pathways out of poverty. While World Bank President Ajay Banga said he wants the bank to orient itself around a “North Star” of job creation, much of the how is still underway.
That means no headline goals, no flashy data, and to some observers, not even clear definitions. To some, jobs seem a “safe” theme as the bank navigates its relationship with the U.S., but to others, including Banga, it’s an obvious decision.
Jobs provide both livelihood and dignity, and the bank “must understand that, internalize it and care about jobs as the best North Star for this institution,” Banga said on Tuesday. If the World Bank gets it right, then governments, political leaders, the private sector, the bank, and young people will all “win,” he said. “Somebody tell me what the heck is wrong with that idea?”
About the author
Adva Saldinger@AdvaSal
Adva Saldinger is a Senior Reporter at Devex where she covers development finance, as well as U.S. foreign aid policy. Adva explores the role the private sector and private capital play in development and authors the weekly Devex Invested newsletter bringing the latest news on the role of business and finance in addressing global challenges. A journalist with more than 10 years of experience, she has worked at several newspapers in the U.S. and lived in both Ghana and South Africa.
