In their drive for wealth, too many developing economies remain wedded to an approach out of the last century: policies focused heavily on attracting investment. There is a better way--and it's quicker, kinder, and cleaner. economist.com/by-invitation/…

“A distinctive affliction” strikes countries as they climb the income ladder, Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, writes in a guest essay. “In the coming decades the fate of the world will depend on whether it can be cured” econ.st/3LZv4gK

What middle-income countries can learn from America’s innovation system. New blog with ⁦Ufuk Akçiğit⁩ blogs.worldbank.org/en/development…

What happens to a country that does not make merit the key factor in decisions on who studies where and what, who gets a sought-after job, and who gets to start a business? It gets stuck in the slow lane. ⁦Forhad Shilpi⁩ ⁦ blogs.worldbank.org/en/development…

New research brief, "What Middle-Income Countries Can Learn from America’s Innovation System," from Somik Lall and Ufuk Akcigit (UChicago Economics). Read the brief here: ow.ly/mPiL50TfCK9

Thrilled to see the World Development Report 2024 on the “Middle Income Trap” reaching new audiences around the world through translation! Excited for the impact this will have in multiple languages! 🌍📚 World Bank World Bank Research

Presentation of ⁦World Bank⁩ 2024 WDR ⁦Geneva Graduate Institute⁩ ⁦Centre for Finance and Development⁩ by ⁦Somik Lall⁩ with ⁦Amelia U. Santos Paulino⁩ & ⁦Roberta Piermartini⁩

🔌 While cities generate 80% of global GDP, 80% of the world’s poorest people live in rural areas. Expanding reliable, affordable electricity is critical for rural development, yet progress remains uneven. How can policies accelerate electrification? blogs.worldbank.org/en/development…

Somik Lall and I are organizing the Cairo edition of the Growth Academy from April 30 to May 2, 2025, in partnership with ERF. Join us to explore how creative destruction drives growth in emerging economies. (For last year's Growth Academy: bfi.uchicago.edu/growth-academy/)

My World Bank colleague, Somik Lall, outlines what developing economies can do to achieve a synchronized form of development—one that connects progress in megacities with progress in smaller cities, towns, and villages. open.spotify.com/episode/2bdPNh…

Fantastic Growth Academy event in Bucharest led by ⁦⁦Indermit Gill⁩ ⁦Somik Lall⁩ ⁦Ufuk Akcigit⁩

The World Development Report 2024 highlights Poland as an exception among middle-income countries. Understand the challenges and strategies to avoid the middle-income trap. Read this blog by Somik Lall & Ufuk Akcigit wrld.bg/yhPA50VPANI #WDR2024 📕wrld.bg/jlBo50VPANJ

July 22 | 16:15 EDT | #ABCDE2025 | Session 3: Pollution How can carbon markets & pollution policies drive climate action? Somik Lall, Jan Christoph Steckel, Barbara Haya & Kaushik Deb explore carbon pricing, credit quality & pollution markets. Register ➡️ worldbank.org/en/events/2025…

The #GrowthAcademy25 conference is officially underway! Ufuk Akcigit and Somik Lall just launched Day 1 with inspiring opening remarks. Follow along right here for live updates, key insights, and standout moments from speakers throughout the week.

#GrowthAcademy25: Day 1 ended with a fireside discussion with HE بندر إبراهيم الخريف Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry & Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, Ufuk Akcigit of UChicago Economics and Somik Lall of @worldbank. Key insights on industry and regional development.  Follow for Day 2 updates!

LIVE at #GrowthAcademy25: Prof. Michael Greenstone (Energy Policy Institute at UChicago) discusses "The Economics of the Global Energy Challenge," emphasizing how nations must balance reliable energy, clean air, and climate goals—and the importance of pricing energy’s true costs. #EnergyEcon

LIVE at #GrowthAcademy25, Day 4: @somikcities (IEG - WB Group) builds on yesterday's energy crisis session with "Energy, Emissions, and Creative Destruction", outlining the need for global energy efficiency and cooperation. #EnergyEfficiency

LIVE at #GrowthAcademy25: "The Marshall Plan: Then and Now". What happened during postwar Europe’s recovery—and what lessons can we draw for growth today? Joel Mokyr (Northwestern Economics) highlights strategies, policies, and attitudes that shaped a turning point in #EconomicHistory.

This is pretty much a blueprint for rebuilding Ukraine's enterprises and entrepreneurship. The University of Chicago Somik Lall Becker Friedman Institute for Economics bfi.uchicago.edu/working-papers…

A useful new AI tool from the World Bank's Institute for Economic Development. If you're looking for a quick way to soak up the latest insights from our research, this is it.