World Bank [to 15 November 2014]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all

Statement from World Bank Group President on the G20 Leaders’ Communique
BRISBANE, November 16, 2014 – World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today released the following statement on the G20 Leaders’ Communique:
“With the global economy struggling with an uneven recovery, we welcome G20 Leaders’ commitment to raising growth and delivering quality jobs. Higher and more inclusive growth is essential if we are to significantly cut poverty and reduce inequality. The G20 commitments promise a much needed boost to G20 countries and beyond.G20 Leaders have rightly identified investment in infrastructure as crucial to lifting growth, creating jobs and tackling poverty. We welcome support by G20 Leaders for the World Bank Group’s Global Infrastructure Facility, designed to build a global pipeline of infrastructure investments that can draw in new sources of finance, such as institutional investors.
November 16, 2014

World Bank Supports Reforms to Strengthen Guinea’s Capacity to Respond to the Ebola Crisis
WASHINGTON, November 13, 2014—The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a total of US$50 million to strengthen the Government of Guinea’s ability to manage public funds in response to the Ebola crisis and related macroeconomic and fiscal shocks. The financing, which will support the Emergency Macroeconomic and Fiscal Support Operation includes a US$40 million International Development Association (IDA)* credit and a US$10 million grant allocated from the World Bank Group’s IDA Crisis Response Window, which is designed to help low-income IDA countries respond to exceptionally severe crises in a timely, transparent and predictable way. “Guinea’s progress in economic reform is now at risk due to the Ebola crisis and if the epidemic is not contained soon it could lead to an increase in poverty through declines in consumption and investment,” said Cheick Kante, the World Bank Country Manager for Guinea.
November 13, 2014

India has potential to dramatically reduce stunting in children, says new World Bank report
November 13, 2014
Adequacy in three basic nutritional areas show reduced stunting even in poorest districts
New Delhi, November 13, 2014 – Stunting (Described as low height for age) in Indian children, 6 to 24 months of age, could be dramatically reduced if children receive three things that are critical for good nutrition – adequate feeding, health care and environmental health, says a new World Bank report which analyzes data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2005-06 and the HUMGaMA Survey 2011 to indicate a strong co-relation between stunting in children and their adequacy or inadequacy in these three dimensions.
The three key determinants critical for good nutrition:
– Food care: Minimum acceptable diet as defined by WHO (0-6 months: be exclusively breastfed, not fed even water; between 6-8 months along with breastmilk be fed at least twice a day with foods from three or more food groups; between 9-24 months: be fed at least three times a day with foods from four or more food groups)
– Health care: Regular and timely antenatal visits, age appropriate immunizations, birth through skilled attendant, mother’s Body Mass Index (BMI) being greater than the threshold
– Environmental health: Good hygiene with proper water and sanitation practices.
The report, Nutrition in India, shows that stunting rate in children with adequate feeding, health care and environmental health is half as compared to those with none of these in adequate measure – 23 percent as compared to 52 percent in children who have inadequacies in all dimensions…

World Bank Supports Liberia’s Efforts to Improve Governance, Business Climate, Education and Strengthen Health Services in Response to the Ebola Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC, November 12, 2014—The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a total of US$30 million to support Liberia’s medium-term strategy to strengthen its transparency and accountability mechanisms, expand the economy, increase access to quality education and improve health services that are critical to fighting the current Ebola epidemic. The financing, which will support the Second Poverty Reduction Support Operation (PRSDPO II), includes a US$20 million International Development Association (IDA)* credit and a US$10 million grant allocated from the World Bank Group’s IDA Crisis Response Window, which is designed to help low-income IDA countries respond to exceptionally severe crises in a timely, transparent and predictable way. “Liberia has made significant progress in reducing poverty after a history of conflict, but the country is now faced with heightened challenges brought on by the Ebola epidemic,” said Inguna Dobraja, World Bank Country Manager…
November 12, 2014