World Bank President Ajay Banga Speaks With Ceo Nir Bar Dea On The Future Of Dev

Research & Insights World Bank President Ajay Banga Speaks with CEO Nir Bar Dea on the Future of Development in Africa August 14, 2024 By Ajay Banga, Nir Bar Dea Bridgewater CEO Nir Bar Dea was joined by Ajay Banga, President of The World Bank, as our latest guest in Bridgewater’s Distinguished Speaker Series to discuss development and economic outlooks for the African continent. Due to global demographic shifts, nearly 25% of the global working-age population will be located in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2050, yet over 600 million Africans across the continent lack access to basic resources like electricity. In his second visit to Bridgewater’s campus, Ajay spoke to these demographic and resource trends, and how they present both emerging challenges and opportunities for global investors from the private and public sectors. Nir and Ajay discussed the origin story of Bridgewater’s efforts to support the World Bank’s International Development Association 21st replenishment, resulting in a partnership with international advocacy organization Global Citizen to produce research outlining potential economic trajectories of Africa and how growth can be furthered. Bridgewater and Global Citizen’s partnership in support of the World Bank’s development efforts will culminate in an African Economic Assembly in Côte d'Ivoire from October 9-10. The assembly will bring together Heads of State, Finance Ministers, private sector leaders, Multilateral Development Banks and civil society to drive major financial investments to end extreme poverty across Africa.