The halal economy (HE) plays an important role in Malaysia's economic growth, contributing 7.5 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of 2020. Under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, 2021-2025 (12MP), one of the key strategies to boost Malaysia's economic growth is enhancing the competitiveness...

This summary report presents the findings of the Bangladesh WASH Poverty Diagnostic (BWPD) study led by the World Bank's Water and Poverty Global Practices. Though very few Bangladeshis now fetch water from rivers or defecate in fields, the vast majority still live in environments plagued by...

Strong growth, driven by consumption and public investment, has continued. Macroeconomic stability is strained. Inflation has picked up, driven by food price increases initially and by non-food inflation more recently. Notwithstanding rebound in garment exports and remittances, the current...

Bangladesh has maintained its robust growth performance. Exports and remittances have been buoyant. Agriculture had bumper harvests. Overall inflation has slowed as decelerating food inflation offset a pickup in non-food inflation. Monetary expansion has been short of target as private sector...

Bangladesh economic expansion continued in FY19, supported by rising exports and record remittances. Inflation remained within the 5.5 percent target, supported by bumper rice harvests. Broad money growth increased marginally. Private sector credit growth was weak and bank liquidity remains...

In the last two years, Liberia's economic performance has improved. Inflation remained in single digits despite high global food and fuel prices and a relaxation in monetary and fiscal policies. Liberia's poverty rate is projected to have declined slightly in the last two years as GDP growth...

This report was prepared for the PRSP Implementation Forum (November 15-17), in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It covers recent macroeconomic developments and draws on recent and ongoing World Bank research and analysis undertaken in the areas of Governance, Finance and Trade, Public Administration,...

The world today believes that supporting women entrepreneurs is vital for economic growth. As economic opportunities increase, unprecedented numbers of women are entering the world of business and entrepreneurship. The number of women entrepreneurs has risen in global economy including in...

Mali, Chad, Niger and Guinea have some of the lowest rates of secondary school completion in the world for girls. They also have some of the highest rates of child marriage and early childbearing. While some other countries in West and Central Africa are making rapid progress toward better...

Economic policymakers in developing countries across the world are focusing on expanding financial inclusion. This agenda assumes greater significance for countries like Pakistan, where financial inclusion levels are quite low. It has led to several policy interventions in Pakistan over the past...