The World Bank is working with the UK Government to set up the London Centre for Global Disaster Protection (LCGDP). [...] The centre has been established in partnership with the World Bank and Germany in a bid to grow the role of insurance in mitigating damage caused by natural catastrophes in less economically developed economies (LEDCs) and encourage countries to better manage risk.

World Bank Group is considering lending Sri Lanka $100 million to expand higher education including increasing enrollment in priority areas for economic development like science, engineering and mathematics, and promoting innovation. [...] A Finance Ministry statement said the proposed programme aims to increase enrollment in higher education programmes that are important for an aspiring upper middle income country.

Capacity at Tanzania's Port of Dar es Salaam looks set to increase to 25 million tonnes over the next seven years thanks to a World Bank grant of US$12 million. The grant comes in addition to the approval of a $345 million credit for the new Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project (DSMGP), which will also allow the port to improve waiting times at berth.

About 600 experts, representatives of the international development agencies and other stakeholders are to converge on Accra next month to discuss how to fast-track the implementation of an open data system in Africa. The regional conference with support from the global level and the World Bank will among other things discuss the progress and achievements of the open data industry. It has been a platform to raise awareness of and determine the next line of action in the effective implementation of the phenomenon in Africa.

World Bank today approved a US$50 million emergency project - Somalia Emergency Drought Response and Recovery Project (SEDRP, the Project) - to scale up the drought response and recovery effort in Somalia. Somalia is facing its worst drought in decades, with over half the population – an estimated 6.7 million people – in need of humanitarian assistance and recovery support. The Project will address the immediate needs of communities affected by the drought as well as supporting early recovery and improved resilience to future shocks.

Malawi hopes global lenders will release funds frozen over a government graft scandal three years ago now that the World Bank has resumed its budget support programme. This support traditionally accounts for about 40 percent of the budget of the poor southern African country. [...] "The recent resumption of the World Bank budgetary support, the expected confirmation by the IMF that Malawi is on track in its pursuance of fiscal management reforms are all signs of international confidence coming back in our economic management," Gondwe said.

The World Bank Board of Directors today approved $100 million in financing to support Sri Lanka’s higher education sector. This new initiative will help increase enrollment in priority disciplines, improve the quality of degree programs and promote research and innovation in the higher education sector. Building on experience in the higher education sector since 2003, the new Accelerating Higher Education Expansion and Development (AHEAD) operation is the first in Sri Lanka to use the World Bank Program for Results lending instrument. 

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade (MODSIT) and the World Bank launched a joint programme of technical assistance and advisory services to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to enhance the competitiveness of the private sector and unleash the potential of Sri Lankan exports.