Why Nations Fail – Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
November 22, 2024
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Richard Cambridge
America held its national elections on November 5 and answered a BIG Question “ Where to America?” The electorate decided to return …
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The Role of Irrigation in Assuring Food & Nutrition Security
November 19, 2024
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Herve Plusquellec & Preeti Ahuja
The recently published document “Retrospective on lending for irrigation: 70 years of Bank Experience” does not address in an explicit manner a …
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Great wines and more in Northern Italy!
November 4, 2024
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Kevin Cleaver
When Maria Nikolov and I saw the announcement by the 1818 Society of a Great wines of Northern Italy tour, we signed …
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A Summer ‘s Wintry Hiking Trip in Austria
October 11, 2024
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Anis Dani
The reunion of the German-Austrian-Swiss (DACH) chapter in Vienna in early September 2024 ended with a delightful hike climbing beautiful Kahlenberg to …
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Kofi and the UN Did it! Can Ajay and the WBG do it?
October 11, 2024
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Richard Cambridge
In late September, my spouse and I visited our Alma Mater Macalester College to participate in the Macalester Festival, including a session …
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World Bank Budget Increases by 6% in Real Terms in FY25 For More Country Engagement and Supervision Support
September 27, 2024
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Bill Katzenstein
The World Bank (IBRD/IDA) administrative budget was approved at $3,498 million for FY25, a sizable rise from the $3,170 million authorization for FY24. Of …
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Bad Economic Ideas Never Die in America, They Thrive in Election Times
September 20, 2024
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Istvan Dobozi*
The Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman famously claimed once that bad economic ideas simply refuse to die. The ongoing 2024 presidential election campaign …
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Nag and Kohli say Institutions are Important for Good Governance. How about the WBG?
September 20, 2024
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Richard Cambridge
I always reflect on my motivations for selecting a particular book to read especially when there are choices. In the case of …
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Hike to Everest Base Camp
August 5, 2024
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Jun Zhang*
In March 2024, I hiked with a friend to Everest Base Camp (EBC) in Nepal. The classical journey to EBC starts by …
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For the Blessings of Jupiter and Venus – A Debut Novel
July 26, 2024
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Varun Gauri*
Even as a researcher in DEC, I’ve always been interested in stories. My early critique of the market-based Chilean social programs of …
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Driving Digital Transformation in Developing Nations: Case Studies
July 11, 2024
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Nagy Hanna*
The digital revolution is creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges for economic development. How did countries respond? What roles did the governments, enterprises …
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A Trip to Remember
June 27, 2024
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Katia Tabash*
Sitting at the finish line of a small 2,000-meter lake-turned-racecourse in Lucerne, Switzerland, my husband and I waited to watch our son …
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Turkey’s Economic Odyssey Since 2000
June 19, 2024
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Tanju Yurukoglu*
In October 2023, I published a book entitled “Turkey’s Economic Odyssey Since 2000: From Ascent to Turmoil,” ** reviewing economic policies and …
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Economic Development in the Digital Age
June 11, 2024
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Nagy Hanna*
How did the World Bank respond to the digital revolution in terms of policies and investments in developing countries? Much has been …
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The American economy itself feels fine, but voters feel differently
May 27, 2024
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Istvan Dobozi*
The strength of the economy is a time-honored predictor of presidential job approval and re-election chances. In the post-WWII period, only three …
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Chile under Neoliberalism*
April 16, 2024
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Andrés Solimano & Gabriela Zapata-Román
In our book, Chilean Economic Development under Neoliberalism, we examine Chile’s economic, social, and development policies over the past six decades. The focal …
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Discovering Birds with Better Technology
March 17, 2024
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S, Ramachandran
Birding was not on my post-retirement “to do” list. Stumbling into it just when technology made it easier was fortuitous because it …
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Ashoka the Visionary
March 1, 2024
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Ashok Khanna*
In an era of great economic advances, fantastic improvements in education and global communications, humanity is still plagued by war, genocide, and …
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Vinod Prakash, Service Before Self: A Journey of Conviction, Courage, and Commitment
February 23, 2024
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Uma Lele
It is a pleasure to write this blog about a book written by a colleague, Vinod Prakash, who retired from the World …
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The Bank’s Ambitious Gender Strategy
February 1, 2024
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Frank Vogl*
The World Bank is on the cusp of finalizing a 2024-2030 gender development strategy. It draws on the experiences of the last …
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If You Came This Way
February 1, 2024
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James Brown
My interview at the Bank in the winter of 1970-71 began with the YP Coordinator saying, “Canadian, huh. That won’t hurt you.” …
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Chile’s experience transitioning from an energy supply crisis to major investments in renewables
January 18, 2024
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Miguel Schloss*
There are times when crises can provide a sober warning about unaddressed problems than all discourses and learned studies. The crisis detonated …
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Tackling Climate Change: The Bank’s Poisoned Chalice?
January 12, 2024
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S. Ramachandran
After much wrangling at periodic gatherings in Rio, Copenhagen and Paris, governments have agreed to reduce emissions that cause global warming. Many …
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Stories from My 14 Years at the World Bank (1979-1993)*
January 11, 2024
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Nancy Birdsall
I was inspired by the November 29 CGD event on women’s leadership at the international financial institutions (IFIs), featuring a presentation of …
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Changes in Bank Retirees’ Longevity
December 13, 2023
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Anis Dani & Brenda Bermudez
Two years ago, Bill McGreevy had analyzed mortality data of WBG retirees for an article in the Quarterly. After a gap of …
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Are days of dollar dominance numbered in global commerce and finance?
December 10, 2023
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Istvan Dobozi*
Historically, there were two national currencies – the British pound and the Dutch gulden – that played an important role as world …
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Rosalynn Carter’s Invitation to Me to Work for President Carter on the Global Development Initiative
December 7, 2023
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Uma Lele *
Rosalynn Carter, the past first lady of the United States, who passed away on November 19, 2023, invited me to work with …
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Business Jargon: A Trip Down Memory Lane
November 1, 2023
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Joseph Barone
Business Jargon “are words or phrases used by business employees to convey unique ideas and directions.”[1] The World Bank, like every other …
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Secret Tuscany (an 1818 Society tour)
November 1, 2023
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Marisa Diaz-Etchevehere
Although I have been to Tuscany in Italy several times in the past, when I saw a tour called “Secret Tuscany” advertised …
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Canadian Rockies CMH Summer 2023
October 6, 2023
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Xiao Ye
Terry, my husband, and I joined the Canadian Rockies hiking trip in July. We spent a day and half in Calgary, which …
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Original World Bank Cost-Efficiency Indicators: Then & Now
October 5, 2023
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Bill Katzenstein
The Bank’s first review of its expenses in relation to lending, conducted in 1955, centered on three graphs illustrating the record of …
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The Lucrative Dangers of Tobacco Farming [1]
August 1, 2023
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Uma Lele
The global spread of tobacco production and use is like gun proliferation in the US. It is one of those evils that …
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Destruction of World Bank-supported Hydropower Plant in Ukraine
August 1, 2023
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Istvan Dobozi
Ukraine has considerable hydropower resource potential. It operates nine major hydropower plants, accounting for about 10 per cent of the country’s total …
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Pakistan: Hunza – Batura – Fairy Meadows: A hidden gem
July 14, 2023
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Miriam Schneidman
Sipping on a cup of chai on the balcony of the Raikot Sarai lodge while gazing at Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest …
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Bidii Yetu – Cross Africa Odyssey to Raise Awareness of the Potential of People with Disabilities
July 14, 2023
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Matthew Gamser*
A year ago I reconnected with an old friend and former colleague who, due to a hereditary disease, progressively lost feeling in …
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Toward A More Effective WBG Response To Global Challenges
July 1, 2023
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René Costa
The World Bank Group (WBG), a long-standing development lender, is facing criticism for not being broad enough in its mandate to address …
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Remembering Korea: Moments from the K-Tour of May 2023
July 1, 2023
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Chad Leechor
On a cool sunny day, we gather at the Incheon Airport near Seoul, to start a stint of energetic hiking plus cultural …
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One Hundred and Fifty Shades of Green
June 14, 2023
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Preeti S. Ahuja
Just as my fingers finished typing “One Hundred Shades of Green” – a name I thought to be apt for my microblog …
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A UNIVERSAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK FOR GLOBAL CONCERNS
June 1, 2023
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René Costa
“While there are countless solutions to tackling what has been described by the UN as the “existential threat” of our times, it …
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Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon
June 1, 2023
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Jianyuan Zhu
Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times. – Asian Proverb Dubbed as the “Land of the Thunder …
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Bhutan Trek 2023 – A Trekking Newbie’s Perspective
May 22, 2023
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Heidi Hennrich-Hanson
Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting – Buddha quote After 3 …
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The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
May 16, 2023
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Chas Feinstein *
Mark Twain famously said: “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” As someone who has been following the …
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A Tale of Two Microstates: Ideas for A Climate-Smart & Nutrition-Sensitive Future
April 27, 2023
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Preeti S. Ahuja
While the focus on the key purveyors of a changing climate is rightly increasing, it is important to keep in view simultaneously, …
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Lessons Learned from Life as a Consultant: Dealing with a Client who Refuses to Pay
April 18, 2023
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Joe Barone
When I left the Bank in March 2018, I decided to hang out my shingle as a consultant. Although the first nine …
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Priorities for Action in the Face of Runaway Climate Change
April 13, 2023
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Vinod Thomas*
Climate change presents an extreme gulf between scientific knowledge of the risk and policy action to tackle it. Technical solutions and economic …
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The Spiral Stairs
March 1, 2023
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James Brown*
With the Boeing announcement of the last 747 rolling off the line in Everett Washington this week, I realized that it has …
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Is Free Trade Dead?
February 8, 2023
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Istvan Dobozi
Free trade is one of the few economic paradigms that unite economists of all ideological and political stripes: reduction of international trade …
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How the Dollar-a-Day Poverty Line Came into Being
January 26, 2023
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Lyn Squire *
Even after thirty years, there are still misconceptions about how the dollar-a-day standard used to measure poverty in the developing world came …
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A day with Pelé
January 4, 2023
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John Muir*
The late 60’s had become a busy period for me. At the request of South American friends, I helped establish and then captain …
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Food Security, Poverty Reduction and Economic Transformation: Time for Sustained Action by G20
December 9, 2022
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Uma Lele*
In 2022, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on many occasions the need to strengthen global collaboration for tackling food insecurity, most notably …
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17 days Trekking the Tsum Valley and around the Manaslu in Nepal
December 7, 2022
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Maryvonne Plessis-Fraissard
The trip was planned for 2020 as a following chapter to the Annapurna Trek. In one of the many updates of the …
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WBG Retirees play a HUGE role in the Community Connections Campaign
December 2, 2022
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Clare Evans*
I was born in Washington, DC, and I grew up in the DC metro area. I have loved and enjoyed this wonderful …
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Eating – and walking – our way around Türkiye
November 15, 2022
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Lesley Shneier*
One morning before the crack of dawn, we stumbled bleary-eyed from our cave hotel, to be taken to the hot air balloon …
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Playing with atomic fire in Ukraine
October 1, 2022
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Istvan Dobozi
Ukraine has already experienced how dangerous a nuclear power plant can be. In 1986, the world’s worst nuclear accident took place at …
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1818 Northumberland Hike: July 29-August 5, 2022
October 1, 2022
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Sandra Hadler, Chair Florida Chapter
Way back in July 2019, 30 some 1818 hikers and partners spent a week hiking in the Cotswolds. It was such a …
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“Yes, We Can”
October 1, 2022
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Dhamayanthy Padmanathan
This is a verse from a very popular Girl Scout song ‘Yes, We Can’: “Can a woman be a doctor? Yes, she …
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Cherishing what matters the most……
September 9, 2022
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Tahseen Sayed
You land after almost 6 years at an airport and waiting at immigration, you know that you have come home! You enter …
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Hiking the Iconic Vistas of Norway
September 1, 2022
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Anis Dani
It started off as a lark and ended as the trip of a lifetime. During a high altitude hike to Nepal and …
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My trip to the Canadian Arctic Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
September 1, 2022
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Alexander Keyserlingk
Introduction I wanted to go north to see how people live in the northern part of the North American continent under such …
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Making Fitness a Habit
August 1, 2022
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Susan Dubas
You already know that exercise is good for you. Countless studies highlight the benefits of regular physical activity. It prevents disease, improves …
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Conservation of a World Heritage site (Abiseo Park) and public forest land in the Province of San Martin, Peruvian Amazon
August 1, 2022
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Kevin Cleaver and Maria Nikolov
We retired from the World Bank in 2006. We purchased and currently own a farm located immediately next to Peru’s Rio Abiseo …
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Mapping Carbon Neutrality from Words to Deeds
August 1, 2022
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Miguel Schloss
Who would have thought that after 30 years since the UN Convention on Climate Change, the gap between the agreed goals, and …
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THE UKRAINE TRAGEDY IS NOW GLOBAL: Impact on food security
July 1, 2022
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Nadim Khouri
On June 3, 2022, the 1818 Society Thematic Group on Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD TG) hosted a presentation on the impact …
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Hiking El Camino de Costa Rica
July 1, 2022
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Kathia Coupry and Hugh Sloan
In April of 2022, nine of us set out on a 10-day hiking trip on El Camino de Costa Rica, from the …
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Comity: Multilateralism in the New Cold War.
July 1, 2022
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Frank Vibert
Recently I gave a webinar to an 1818 Society audience on my new book ‘Comity; Multilateralism in the New Cold War’, (Edward …
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Pricing the Urban Water Supply Service to Please (almost) Everybody
June 1, 2022
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Alain Loccusol
Pricing the urban water supply service is a complex exercise that aims at achieving competing objectives. Cost recovery. Piped water has some …
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The Art Market at Times of Global Uncertainty
June 1, 2022
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Andrés Solimano
We live in uncertain times: the world is emerging from the main effects of the Covid-19 pandemic but is affected now by …
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DIG DEEP: Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
June 1, 2022
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Diana Corbin
When I tell someone I have completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, they ask: WHAT is that? WHY would anyone …
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Social Development in the World Bank
May 3, 2022
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Scott Guggenheim
“To give you an idea of how it felt then while trying to bring anthropology’s message to a rather agnostic and sceptical …
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A Passion for Home-made Bread
May 1, 2022
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Mark Woodward
In retirement I have become passionate about baking naturally fermented bread with freshly milled, whole grain flour. When I retired some 6 …
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Food for All
April 8, 2022
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Uma Lele, Manmohan Agarwal, Brian Baldwin, and Sambuddha Goswami
Our book arose out of several mutually reinforcing concerns: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were unlikely to be achieved by 2030, given the …
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The Urgent Need to Cut Super Climate Pollutants Now!
April 7, 2022
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Alan S. Miller
I was privileged to work on climate change issues in the World Bank Group for 16 years, from 1997 to 2014. Since …
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Volunteering: A Life’s Inspiration
April 6, 2022
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Mavee Park and Mike James
Secrets to a long life? Pick your poison or passion: from drinking whiskey, eating bacon(!), exercise, hanging out with friends,… As Ralph Burgess Tarrant, a 110yr old …
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