2014年-世界发展银行全球_Boosting_Shared_Prosperity_8页_225kb

Speech by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim at Howard University: “Boosting Shared Prosperity”

Core Content

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, delivered a speech at Howard University on October 1, 2014, emphasizing the importance of boosting shared prosperity as a central mission of the World Bank Group. The speech was framed within the broader context of global poverty reduction and the fight against inequality, drawing on historical and contemporary examples to underscore the urgency of the task.

Main Goals of the World Bank Group

The World Bank Group has redefined its mission around two twin goals:

• Ending extreme poverty by 2030
• Boosting shared prosperity among the poorest 40 percent in developing countries

Kim highlighted that while significant progress has been made in reducing extreme poverty—a two-thirds reduction in the global poverty rate over 25 years—the challenge of helping the next billion people escape poverty remains daunting, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Key Points on Shared Prosperity

• Shared prosperity is defined by improving the income and living conditions of the poorest 40 percent, including access to food, shelter, health care, education, and jobs.
• The World Bank Group has initiated a "science of delivery" approach to ensure that development solutions are both effective and scalable.
• The global economic system must be reformed to ensure that wealth and social benefits are distributed more equitably.
• Gender equity and economic inclusion are essential components of shared prosperity.

Data and Examples

• During the 2000s, the poorest 40 percent in 52 out of 78 low-income countries experienced faster income growth than the general population.
• However, these households still lag in social benefits, such as access to clean water and sanitation.
• Road construction in Bangladesh showed that infrastructure improvements can significantly increase household incomes.
• The Ebola outbreak in West Africa was presented as a stark example of the consequences of unequal access to health care and the need for a coordinated global response.

Response to Ebola

• The World Bank Group has committed $400 million to support Ebola treatment and containment efforts in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
• They have sent infectious disease experts to the region and are working to scale up effective solutions.
• Kim stressed that delaying action will make it exponentially harder to control the outbreak and protect shared prosperity.

Commitment to Equality and Inclusion

• Kim highlighted the World Bank Group's commitment to equality, drawing a parallel with the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and Pauli Murray, both of whom were associated with Howard University.
• He emphasized that diversity and inclusion are vital to the Bank's mission, noting that African Americans have historically been underrepresented in its workforce.
• The Bank is working to increase diversity by setting concrete hiring targets and expanding internship and professional programs for Howard University graduates.

Conclusion and Call to Action

• Kim called on the Howard University community to join the mission of ending extreme poverty and reducing inequality.
• He encouraged students and graduates to consider careers at the World Bank Group, noting that 29 Howard graduates currently work there.
• The speech concluded with a reference to Dr. King’s "I have a Dream" speech, reinforcing the moral imperative of shared prosperity and the power of collective action to bend the arc of history toward justice.