|
|
|
|
SPECIAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC EDITION
Managing Director Mari Pangestu to Parliamentarians: “We have the same objective: serving the people.”
“At the end of the day, a pandemic that begins anywhere becomes a pandemic that we all have to confront everywhere. As we begin to face some of the bigger challenges in the age of the shockwave, I think this is a valuable conversation.” The Rt Hon. Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Inclusive Growth, UK.
April 24, 2020 - The World Bank and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF gathered some 200 participants from more than 55 countries and the European Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean for a Virtual Parliamentary Meeting on Pandemics with a Special Focus on COVID-19 on April 24, 2020.
The event was the occasion for prominent legislators from around the world to convene with their peers and World Bank Senior Management, as well as representatives of key parliamentary organizations, to share knowledge and experiences in dealing with the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19.
In a special address, the new World Bank Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, Mari Pangestu, encouraged participants to take collective action to overcome this unprecedented development challenge, stating, “We have the same objective of serving the people.” She commended parliamentarians for the myriad of measures they are taking and shared how the World Bank’s recent initiatives can complement them by emphasizing policy-based financing to protect the most vulnerable, preserve jobs, shorten recovery times, and ensure a strong and inclusive recovery, adding, “Parliamentarians can give us input and understanding as to where those responses should be targeted.”
Full Story | Full Video
|
|
|
SPECIAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC EDITION
French Senators Briefed on the World Bank Response to COVID-19 in Africa
May 11, 2020 - The World Bank attended a virtual hearing with French Senators to inform a report on the international response to COVID-19 in Africa for the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) budget committee. Diarietou Gaye, Director of Strategy and Operations in Africa presented the World Bank’s response to COVID-19 in Africa to Senator Jean-Pierre Vial, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and ODA co-rapporteur, and Senator Marie-Françoise Pérol-Dumont, Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Committee and ODA co-rapporteur who are preparing the report.
Ms. Gaye presented the situation in Africa in the context of COVID-19, discussing the socioeconomic risks facing the continent. In response, the Bank is fast-tracking significant financial support as well as boosting the project approvals process to help countries face the pandemic. Digital development is vital for mapping and processing mobile cash transfers, efficiently distributing agriculture, and continuing education. The Senators were interested in project approvals and oversight, as well as financing of existing and future projects, the food crisis, and mobile money transfers. The World Bank is looking for solutions to the food crisis and using digital development to identify micro-businesses most in need of mobile money transfers.
The World Bank in France | The World Bank in Africa
|
|
|
SPECIAL COVID-19 PANDEMIC EDITION
Parliamentarians Emphasize Their Role as Partners to the World Bank Group in Tackling Fragility, Conflict and Violence in the context of COVID-19
“The World Bank is bringing in Members of Parliament and making them a part of the process. This will help ensure we are reaching the population and that local government will focus on development” Dissan Gnoumou, Member of Parliament, Burkina Faso
May 6, 2020 - Parliamentarians from across the globe convened with World Bank leadership and experts in a Virtual Parliamentary Meeting on Tackling Fragility, Conflict and Violence in the Time of COVID-19 to highlight the important role of legislators in confronting FCV. They emphasized how they could partner with the World Bank Group to facilitate and enhance the implementation of its FCV strategy, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve development outcomes at the country- and regional-level.
The meeting, co-organized by the World Bank and the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF, gathered more than 100 registered participants from 47 countries. Influential parliamentarians such as the Speakers of Parliament of Cabo Verde and Chad, as well as leaders of prominent parliamentary organizations including the Secretary General of ASEAN Parliamentary Assembly were among those connected.
Franck Bousquet, Senior Director, FCV, World Bank and Soukeyna Kane, Country Director for the Sahel Countries, World Bank presented the World Bank Group’s comprehensive, adaptable, and evidence-based FCV strategy in the COVID-19 setting, with specific examples of operations in the Sahel. Parliamentarians from countries implicated in and impacted by FCV also shared their perspectives on actions legislators can take in shaping policies, allocating budgets, overseeing their governments and pinpointing the needs of marginalized communities.
Full Story | Video
|
|
PARLIAMENTARY ENGAGEMENT
World Bank Country Manager Meets with Mongolia’s Speaker of Parliament
ULAANBAATAR, March 31, 2020 - Country Manager for Mongolia Andrei Mikhnev met with the Speaker of Parliament G. Zandanshatar to discuss COVID-19 response measures and World Bank support. The Speaker informed Mr. Mikhnev about the government economic stimulus package and parliament’s plans for enacting the package into law at the upcoming plenary session to be held with social distancing measures. Mr. Mikhnev reaffirmed World Bank support to help Mongolia mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mongolia was among the first 25 countries to receive fast-track emergency financing from the World Bank.
The World Bank in Mongolia
|
|
PARLIAMENTARY ENGAGEMENT
Japanese Parliamentary Network Meets Virtually with World Bank Senior Management
TOKYO, March 13, 2020 – Nine Members of the Japan Chapter of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and IMF led by Chapter President Mr. Asahiko Mihara met virtually with Philippe Le Houérou, Chief Executive Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC); Ousmane Diagana, Vice President of Human Resources, World Bank Group; and Akihiko Nishio, Vice President of Development Finance, World Bank Group.
Mr. Le Houérou presented the importance of the IFC capital increase, which will be discussed in the Japanese National Diet, and reported on the progress of IFC’s recruitment mission for Japan. Mr. Diagana also shared the results of the World Bank recruitment mission for Japan and Japanese senior management. Finally, Mr. Nishio gave key information about the 19th International Development replenishment (IDA19) and expressed gratitude for Japan’s contribution. He also touched on IDA’s response to COVID-19. Participants then discussed a wide range of development topics including a Nutrition Summit which will be held in December in Japan, demographic issues in Africa, the significance of IDA for Japan, and concerns about COVID-19 in developing countries.
The World Bank in Japan
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Parliaments in a time of pandemic Campaign
As part of its “Parliaments in a time of a pandemic” campaign, IPU is tracking parliamentary responses from around the world to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as producing a series of webinars for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff on COVID-19 alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). The first webinar took place on April 28 with a focus on COVID-19 preparedness and response.
Website
Parliamentary Response Tracking
Webinar
Hundreds of parliamentarians join IPU/WHO/UNDRR pandemic webinar
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Toolkit for Parliaments
CPA developed a toolkit for Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures, providing various measures and recommendations to be adopted by Parliaments and parliamentarians to deliver on democracy during a global pandemic.
Coronavirus Toolkit
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Virtual Parliamentary Roundtables
The Climate Parliament is organizing a series of Virtual Parliamentary Roundtables on the climate aspects of the COVID-19 crisis. The first, held on May 6, focused on sustainable transport and the second on May 18 focused on the electrification of rural health clinics in Africa.
Virtual Parliamentary Roundtable
Sustainable Transport Roundtable
Virtual Parliamentary Roundtable
Electrification of Rural Health Clinics Roundtable
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Parliamentary Web Dialogues
OSCE is hosting a series of Parliamentary Web Dialogues focused on different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meetings have focused on COVID’s impact on conflicts in the OSCE region, the effects of states of emergency on democracy and economic security.
Webinar
COVID’s Impact on Conflicts in the OSCE Region
Webinar
States of Emergency Stress-testing Democracy
Webinar
Economic Security Fallout of COVID-19
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Press Releases and Partnership
PAM has issued several press releases to its membership and partnered with the World Bank, the World Travel and Tourism Council and others regarding the many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic including economic and social shocks, conflicts, the impact on refugees, tourism, adaptations to education systems, a rise in domestic violence, and fake news, among others.
PAM News
|
|
PARTNER PARLIAMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS MOBILIZED FOR COVID-19
Publication and Virtual Meetings
ParlAmericas issued a publication on COVID-19 and the role of parliament during a pandemic in late March and has held several virtual meetings including: meetings for parliamentarians and staff on organizing virtual parliamentary sessions; a seminar on the importance of legislative openness, and a webinar on Parliaments and Pandemics.
Publication
COVID-19 and the role of parliament during a pandemic
Meeting
Virtual Parliamentary Sittings during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Seminar
Importance of Legislative Openness
Webinar
Parliaments and Pandemics: Going virtual and staying open in the COVID-19 era
|
|
PUBLICATION
The COVID-19 Pandemic: Shocks to Education and Policy Responses
This report discusses the major shocks to progress in education and their far-reaching effects as well as policy responses countries can take to continue and even “build back better” to improve education.
Article | Infographic | PDF
|
|
|
DATA
Understanding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic through data
Data is critical to support countries in managing the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This site provides an array of real-time data, statistical indicators, and other types of data that are relevant to the coronavirus pandemic. These data are drawn from the World Bank’s data catalog and other authoritative sources.
View Data
|
|
VIDEO
Responding to Coronavirus: How can we Strengthen Global Healthcare to Handle the Pandemic?
In the age of #COVID19, how can we increase disease surveillance and strengthen health systems? Join our health experts here on Twitter, as they assess the region by region impact and talk about @WorldBank’s country response.
Watch video
|
|
PODCAST
More Than a Billion Students Aren’t in Class – How Do We Educate During a Pandemic?
As the coronavirus has rapidly spread around the globe just about every aspect of life is being disrupted – not least education, which was already in crisis. That begs the question: How do we educate students during a pandemic?
We get the view from the World Bank’s Global Director for Education, Jaime Saavedra, who walks us through COVID-19’s impact schools, students, learning, and the solutions countries are implementing.
Listen to the Podcast
|
|
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WATCH
March 19, 2019
Vanuatu
Fifty-two Members of Parliament were elected with no absolute majority party. The far-left Land and Justice Party came in first with nine seats, while the left Vanua’aku Pati and center-left Reunification Movement for Change parties tied for second with seven seats and the center Leaders Party and center-right Union of Moderate Parties tied for third with five seats. The center-right National United Party won four seats. The remaining votes were split between 13 parties with 1-2 seats each. No women were elected to parliament, making Vanuatu one of only three countries around the world without female representation in parliament.
|
|
March 22, 2020
Guinea
Parliamentary elections were held after being postponed four times from the original date of January 2019. President Condé’s Rally of the Guinean People Party won an absolute majority with 79 out of 114 seats, while the Guinean Democratic Union party came in second place with only four seats. The Guinean Popular Democratic Movement party and the New Democratic Forces Parties tied for third place with three seats each. The other 20 parties won only 1-2 seats. The vote was held alongside a constitutional referendum that implements social reforms, notably banning female genital mutilation and under-age marriage as well as equal gender rights in divorce; however it also resets the clock on presidential term limits and extends terms to six years, potentially opening the door for incumbent President Conde to serve two more terms for 12 additional years and sparking outcry from the opposition.
|
|
Mach 29 & April 19, 2020
Mali
Elections originally planned for November-December 2018 were rescheduled three times and finally held in March and April 2020. The center-left Rally for Mali party lost 15 seats but maintained a majority with 51 of the 147 seats. The center-left Alliance for Democracy in Mali came in second with 24 seats, followed by the opposition Union for the Republic and Democracy party with 19; and the Movement for Mali with 10. All other parties won less than 10 seats. Voter turnout was extremely low at less than 40%, possibly due to an uptick in violent incidents during the week of March 23. On March 25, the main opposition leader Soumaila Cissé was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen while campaigning. Incidents occurred in at least six regions and polling did not take place in several localities due to attacks and intimidation of local villagers by various armed groups. At least 14 soldiers were injured and nine civilians were killed in three separate IED attacks where at least five assailants were also neutralized. Subsequently, on March 30, three soldiers were killed and seven others seriously injured in two other separate attacks. There were also concerns about COVID-19 during the two rounds with a lack of masks and hand washing stations as well as noncompliance with social distancing.
|
|
April 15, 2020
South Korea
All 300 seats of Parliament were up for renewal in elections. 253 seats are voted by first-past-the-post constituencies where the candidate with the most votes wins, while the remaining 47 are from proportional party lists. President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic won an absolute majority with 163 seats, while a satellite party won 17 seats, meaning 40% of votes went to the two groups. The principle conservative opposition United Future party alongside its satellite Future Korea Party suffered a defeat with only 103 seats combined. The remaining 17 seats were taken by independents and smaller parties. Voter turnout was the highest in 28 years at 66.2% despite the coronavirus pandemic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
