World Bank [to 28 March 2015]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

New Poverty Mapping Report Helps Government Reach the Poorest
LUSAKA, March 27, 2015 – A new joint report by the World Bank and the Central Statistical Office (CSO) recommends that using poverty statistics at ward and constituency levels could be more effective in determining allocation of resources to reduce poverty in the country, compared to using other national level statistics. The report, titled Mapping Subnational Poverty in Zambia, shows poverty rates at district, constituency, and ward levels using data from the 2010 Population and Housing Census and the Living Conditions Monitoring Survey also of 2010. The report finds that national level averages of poverty mask important concentrations of poverty in some areas, and also a great heterogeneity of poverty incidence at subnational levels in many parts of the country…
Date: March 26, 2015

Surgery Could Save Millions of Lives in Developing Countries
Essential Surgery identifies 44 procedures as essential to provide in developing countries, including those that treat injuries, obstetric complications, abdominal emergencies, cataracts, and congenital anomalies, among others. It estimates that universal access to this set of procedures would prevent 6% to 7% of all preventable deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Such procedures rank among the most cost-effective of all health interventions and are feasible to promote globally. Many could be delivered at the first-level hospitals, says the book. The book adds that the cost-effectiveness of essential surgical services along with strong public demand for them suggest that “universal coverage of essential surgery should be implemented early on the path or universal health coverage.”…
Date: March 26, 2015

World Bank Significantly Expands Disaster Risk Management Product Offerings for Clients
March 24, 2015
Broader set of potential losses covered
WASHINGTON, March 24, 2015—The World Bank today announced the expansion of the menu of eligible instruments to transact with clients to manage disaster risk. The enhanced flexibility also broadens the definition of disaster risks from those related to meteorological and geological events, to now include pandemics, epidemics and other events affecting health issues such as morbidity, mortality and longevity.
Previously, the Bank could only offer member countries coverage in the form of derivatives. Now, the range of instruments has been expanded to include insurance and re-insurance contracts and other similar mechanisms. The World Bank has played an important role in developing the market for disaster risk transfer with 18 transactions worth $1.4 billion in coverage to date.
“This additional flexibility will allow the Bank to better respond to client needs by continuing to enhance what we can offer in our role as intermediary with the markets,” said World Bank Vice President and Treasurer, Madelyn Antoncic. Our participation in what ultimately becomes a risk transfer transaction provides an important demonstration effect to crowd in the private sector as risk takers.”
Engaging with the World Bank has a number of advantages. Clients benefit by leveraging private sector risk capital to manage the financial impact of natural disasters and other catastrophic events and by making use of the World Bank’s technical expertise, convening power and standing in the financial markets. World Bank intermediation also provides protection to the client against the credit risk of a private sector counterparty. Eligible clients include client countries, their sub-national entities and regional and international organizations.
The World Bank is a global leader in disaster risk management providing customized support to client countries to assess exposure to vulnerabilities and address disaster risks. It also provides technical and financial support for risk assessments, risk reduction, preparedness, financial protection, and resilient recovery and reconstruction.