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2020 VIRTUAL GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
World Bank and IMF leadership emphasize Parliamentarians as valuable partners in defining development priorities
October 12, 2020 - The World Bank Group organized its first virtual Global Parliamentary Forum themed “Achieving a green and inclusive recovery post COVID-19” from October 12-15, 2020 on the occasion of the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF. The four-day event connected more than 200 parliamentarians from 82 countries and the European Parliament, representing all regions of the world to exchange and learn about actions they could take in their parliaments to pave the way for a resilient and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poverty and inequality are rising rapidly, with the first increase in poverty in over 20 years threatening to push more than 100 million people into extreme poverty by the end of this year. During the flagship leadership townhall with World Bank President David Malpass and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, both leaders underscored engaging with legislators as key to achieving meaningful development results. Mr. Malpass emphasized the importance of parliamentarians in helping the World Bank define its development priorities, implement evidence-based policies, and translate its global mandate to country outcomes. Parliamentarians speak for the people, Ms. Georgieva noted, which is precisely what makes their voices so powerful.
Mr. Malpass presented the World Bank’s broad and fast response with the $160 billion in commitments available through June 2021 and support being delivered in 111 countries for emergency health response, as well as IFC’s $4 billion platform for the development of vaccines for developing countries. Ms. Georgieva also added that the IMF has provided $100 billion support for 81 countries and debt relief to the 29 poorest members. Both leaders stressed the need for debt reduction and transparency to redirect funds toward vital investments in human capital, jobs, and climate.
360 Virtual Atrium
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2020 VIRTUAL GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Women Leading Politics and Development
“The one thing that the pandemic has taught us and brought us together on is, in terms of women’s issues, there’s no better time than now to stop calling them ‘women’s issues’ and to start calling them ‘national issues.” Shandana Gulzar Khan MP, Pakistan; Chairperson, Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians
October 13, 2020 - The momentum of the forum continued with a special session co-hosted by Women Political Leaders in honor of Beijing +25 entitled Women Leading Politics and Development. The meeting gathered inspiring female leaders, including Mari Pangestu, Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank Group; Antoinette Sayeh, Deputy Managing Director, IMF; and a high-level panel of female parliamentary leaders to discuss how women’s increased political participation can lead to a more inclusive and resilient COVID-19 recovery and foster sustainable growth for flourishing societies.
Ms. Pangestu likened the collective effort towards gender parity to a marathon rather than a sprint – a marathon that is getting much harder with the converging crises of COVID-19, climate change, and conflict that threaten a wide-ranging reversal of progress. The panel demonstrated that female participation in politics will help reach the finish line faster as female parliamentarians bring more inclusive policymaking and leadership styles to the table. They tend to pass laws to improve gender and human capital outcomes, and their inclination for collaboration, empathy, compassion, and building unity across party lines have shown to be particularly impactful in the face of COVID-19.
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2020 VIRTUAL GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Achieving a Green and Inclusive Recovery Post COVID-19
“Let’s help build the political will that we need to make hard choices, to gather a better future. This is the critical decade now to keep emissions down and have inclusive growth.” The Hon. Kandeh Yumkella, Chair of the Economic Planning & Development Committee, Sierra Leone
October 14, 2020 - The third session of the Global Parliamentary Forum, “Achieving a Green and Inclusive Recovery Post COVID-19” provided a sobering view of the scope and duration of the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
World Bank Group Vice President and Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart urged legislators not to confuse a rebound with a recovery, which will be a long journey; however, she and IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath assured them that there is hope – the disruption from the pandemic presents a unique opportunity to create a stronger and more sustainable economy. Through the right policies, and global cooperation with international organizations such as the World Bank and IMF, and their peers, legislators can help avoid sovereign debt crises and build back better and greener following the devastating shocks of COVID-19.
Discussants Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Marlene Forte, MP and Attorney General, Jamaica focused on the balancing act parliamentarians are being faced with when adding increasing costs incurred by the health emergency and stimulus measures to existing expenditures—and addressing these needs with decreased revenues. In Jamaica, for example, what was spent for the pandemic amounted to the entire 2020-2021 budget for five key ministries. They highlighted the importance of parliamentarians as representatives of the people in identifying challenges and targeting priorities in policies and budgeting.
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2020 VIRTUAL GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARY FORUM
Policy Reforms Supporting the Private Sector for Green and Inclusive Growth
“We need your help to shape the right policies and regulations to attract the private sector. We need your help to ensure that all the development finance institutions play collaboratively and collectively together.” Stephanie von Friedeburg, Interim Managing Director and Executive Vice President, and COO, IFC
October 15, 2020 - The Global Parliamentary Forum wrapped up with a session co-hosted by The International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Policy Reforms Supporting Private Sector Investment for Green and Inclusive Growth. IFC’s Interim Managing Director and Executive Vice President, and COO Stephanie von Friedeburg, alongside private sector representatives, shared ways to scale up private investment in the context of the emergency pandemic response and post-COVID rebuilding.
The Rt. Hon. Liam Byrne, MP, UK, and Chair of the Parliamentary Network, led a roundtable discussion with high-profile industry, policy and academic leaders who shared examples of how private sector investments can provide the boost needed to achieve development outcomes when public and development aid do not suffice. Parliamentarians hold the key to policies and reforms that encourage sustainable, equitable growth and improve the business environment in an ethical and environmentally responsible manner.
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PARLIAMENTARY ENGAGEMENT
Peru: World Bank Presents Before Congress at the “Economy, Competitiveness and Employment” Conference
LIMA, November 3, 2020 - World Bank Program Leader at the Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions Global Practice, Tanja Goodwin, was a keynote speaker at the Economy, Competitiveness and Employment Conference organized by the Congress of Peru. Her presentation tackled the importance of raising productivity in the country to resume a path of alleviating poverty and inequality. She highlighted policy solutions to increase Peru’s productivity by resolving rigidity in labor legislation, barriers to competition, and barriers to entry. This was the sixth session in a round of conferences aimed at strengthening legislation to address the crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Bank in Peru
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PARLIAMENTARY ENGAGEMENT
Germany: World Bank Briefs Bundestag on Debt in Developing Countries
BERLIN, August 24, 2020 - Marcello Estevao, World Bank Director for Multilateral, Trade and Investment gave a speech at a virtual panel discussion organized by the World Bank Caucus at the German Bundestag on the debt situation of developing countries amidst the COVID-19 crisis. A discussion ensued on next steps for the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and how to include private business in the initiative. German MPs as well as representatives of the Government, including senior management staff from the German Federal Ministries of Finance, Economic Cooperation & Development and Economic Affairs & Energy were present.
The World Bank in Germany
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Mongolia: “Mongolia Mines and Minds” Report Presented at Parliament
ULAANBAATAR, October 6, 2020 - The World Bank Mongolia office organized a high-level panel discussion on the recently launched Country Economic Memorandum report in partnership with the Standing Committee on Budget of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia. The report, entitled "Mongolia Mines and Minds: Leveraging National Wealth to Invest in People and Institutions" analyzes historical data spanning 2000-2019 to conclude that Mongolia has been continuously relying on its mineral wealth instead of maximizing its benefits for diversified and inclusive growth. It calls for accelerating Mongolia’s structural transformation by prioritizing minds over mines to build foundations for diversified and sustainable development. The panel discussion, organized by the Standing Committee on Budget, provided a platform to discuss the report's findings and recommendations as well as ways to implement them among parliament, the government, civil society, and private sector representatives.
The World Bank in Mongolia
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Countering Fragility, Conflict and Violence in Afghanistan
The COVID-19 crisis threatens to reverse hard-won development progress and push millions more people into poverty in countries experiencing fragility, conflict and violence (FCV). In Afghanistan, the poverty rate may reach 72 percent in 2020—from 55 percent in 2017—making international aid even more critical to support the country’s recovery and protect development gains.
The upcoming 2020 Afghanistan Conference offers the Afghan government and its partners an opportunity to coordinate development action toward peace and prosperity and ensure continued financial support, including through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). Administered by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donor partners, ARTF has been a critical mechanism to deliver international aid in Afghanistan, driving some of the fastest progress globally in reducing infant mortality, improving education enrollment, and expanding access to electricity.
The World Bank in Afghanistan | Afghanistan Results | Afghanistan Conference
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GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARY ENGAGEMENT TEAM
Farewell
We bid a bittersweet farewell to Nayé A. Bathily, long-time Head of the Global Parliamentary Engagement team, as she takes on a new position as Manager of External Affairs for Western and Central Africa at the World Bank Group this month.
Ms. Bathily has been a pillar of the Global Parliamentary Engagement team for more than a decade. Under her leadership, the World Bank’s partnership with legislators expanded and diversified significantly. The Parliamentary Network grew to more than 1,000 parliamentarians with the creation of the MENA and Asia regional chapters, as well as various country chapters across World Bank and IMF member countries in every corner of the world. She also spearheaded the Global Young MP Initiative and European Parliamentary Staffers Program to convene a broader base of parliamentary partners and share insights from a fresh perspective. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped transition engagements to a virtual format on topics ranging from the impact of COVID-19 on gender and debt, to delivering the World Bank’s strategy for development in settings affected by fragility conflict and violence, to achieving a green and inclusive recovery at the Global Parliamentary Forum in October.
In her new capacity as Manager of External Affairs for Western and Central Africa, she will be leading the development of partner engagements across the region, including with parliamentarians who act as important players in defining the World Bank’s regional priorities and linking them to the people.
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PUBLICATION
Poverty and Shared Prosperity: Reversals of Fortune
After more than twenty years of poverty reduction, the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening to push up to 150 million people into extreme poverty by 2021. The unprecedented health crisis is hitting the most vulnerable populations the hardest, exacerbating inequalities within and between countries. The latest Poverty and Shared Prosperity report lays out policy principles countries can use to counter the convergence of COVID-19, conflict and climate change to keep the goal of ending poverty and achieving shared prosperity by 2030 within reach.
Article | Website | PDF
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DATA
International Debt Statistics 2021
The annual International Debt Statistics publication supports policymakers and analysts by monitoring aggregate and country-specific trends in external debt in low- and middle-income countries. It provides a comprehensive picture of external borrowing and sources of lending by type of borrower and creditor with information on data availability and comparability. To bolster data transparency, this year’s report features, for the first time, detailed data on the creditor composition of lending from official sources, a critical element in assessing the support many low- and middle-income countries will need to manage their external debt through the current crisis.
Website | Press Release | Publication
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PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WATCH
Senatorial September 27
France
172 of the 348 seats in the French Senate were replaced via indirect elections in which only local electoral office holders (municipal, departmental and regional delegates) and Members of the Assembly of French Citizens Resident Abroad can vote. Following the elections, the Republican party holds a solid majority with a total of with 148 seats (42.53%), followed by the Socialist, Ecologist and Republican party with 65 seats (18.68%), the Union Centrist party with 54 seats (15.52%), and the Coalition of Democrats, Progressives and Independents with 23 seats (6.61%). The remaining 58 seats were split among four political parties as well as three Senators not affiliated with any political party.
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Elections October 1
Bermuda
The 36-seat Bermuda Parliament was renewed with 30 seats going to the incumbent Progressive Labour Party led by Premier David Burt and the remaining six seats to the opposition One Bermuda Alliance. The new Freedom Democratic Movement party did not garner any representation.
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Elections October 17
New Zealand
The center-left Labour Party, led by re-elected Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, won an outright majority with 64 of the 120 seats in parliament, followed by the opposition center-right National Party with 35 seats. The Libertarian ACT party and the Green Party each won ten seats, and the indigenous rights Māori party won one seat.
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Elections October 18
Bolivia
Bolivian general elections renewed all 130 seats of the Chamber of Deputies and all 36 seats of the Chamber of Senators. In the Chamber of Deputies, the leftist Movement for Socialism (MAS) party of former President Evo Morales won an outright majority with 75 (57.7%) seats, the centrist Civic Community party won 39 (30.0%) seats, and the right-wing Creemos alliance won 16 seats (12.3%). In the Senate, voted by party-list proportional representation, the MAS also won an overwhelming majority with 21 seats (58.3%), the Civic Community took 11 seats (30.5%) and Creemos won the remaining four seats (11%).
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Elections October 22-24
Seychelles
Elections scheduled for 2021 to renew the 35-seat National Assembly were brought forward to coincide with Presidential elections in October 2020. Linyon Demokratik Seselwa, the governing liberal political coalition won 25 seats for an absolute majority of 54.84%. The United Seychelles party came in second place with the remaining 10 seats (42.35%). The two other parties – One Seychelles and Seychellois Alliance – did not win any seats.
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Elections October 11 and 25
Lithuania
All 141 seats of the Seimas were up for renewal. 71 seats were elected in single-member constituencies using a two-round system, while the remaining 70 were in a single nationwide constituency using proportional representation. The second round of Lithuania’s general election on 25 October delivered a victory for the opposition center-right Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, which secured 50 of parliament’s 141 seats. It is set to lead a coalition government with the Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party, who got 13 and 11 seats respectively. Together they hold a majority with 74 seats, clearing the minimum of 71 seats to be able to form a government. Outgoing Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis’s Farmers and Greens Union fell short with 32 seats, while their supporters — the Social Democrats and the populist Labour party — got 13 and 10 seats respectively.
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