Finding Hope Amidst Turmoil in the Middle East

The Middle East holds a special place in my heart. I have spent a significant portion of my career working in this region of endless potential but often shaken by crises, each more devastating than the last.

My recent trip there was a lesson in resilience during a time of extreme hardship for millions of people in the region. Four stops, many lessons, each more humbling than the other. But also filled with hope.

Ramallah, West Bank: Hope for Peace and Development

I couldn’t go to the region without stopping in the West Bank to discuss the impact of the conflict and express my gratitude and support to our amazing staff. Despite facing enormous challenges and personal hardships beyond words, they continue to hold onto hope for a better tomorrow and are already preparing for the reconstruction of Gaza.

I also met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa, to discuss the most pressing needs and necessary reforms with a focus on improved services to citizens, anti-corruption, and a competitive economy. This trip was also an opportunity to meet with our UN partners who under extremely challenging circumstances are working to deliver aid to civilians in Gaza.

We have been present in the West Bank for decades and will continue to support the Palestinian people with economic opportunities.

The private sector plays a key role in the West Bank, and my visit to GGateway , a woman-led IT outsourcing company made it clear. The ingenuity of the entrepreneurs and young professionals I met left me inspired.

We all can agree that peace and development are the only sustainable options for the entire region.

Beirut, Lebanon: People First

For the people of Lebanon, times are incredibly difficult. In fact, the country is facing the worst crisis in recent history with the poverty rate skyrocketing in the past ten years and conflict and associated damage in southern Lebanon making prospects for a recovery even more dim.

Despite these challenges, the people of Lebanon are determined to change the destiny of the country.

Take the social workers I met during a joint visit with Carl Skau , the deputy executive director of the World Food Programme , to a social development center on the outskirts of Beirut. Everyday heroes who are working tirelessly to provide life-saving cash transfers to thousands of families in need. Nothing moves me more than to hear the tales of resilience from people we are seeking to help.

I am proud of the impact this social protection program , financed by the World Bank, has had on the lives of the most vulnerable, with 100,000 households already reached and ongoing efforts to reach half of the poor in the country. And of the role we played in assisting the government in establishing Lebanon's first digitized social safety net system.

A decade ago, Lebanon was at the forefront of information and communication technology in the region. Today, the internet is three times more expensive and 10 times slower than the world average. And the price of electricity is three times as high as in the United States. This is why we are also helping Lebanon lay the groundwork for its economic recovery by advocating for reforms in the energy and telecom sectors that would help put the country on a firmer path to growth and give the people of Lebanon a shot at a better life.

Amman, Jordan: Sweeter Prospects for Women and Youth

In the face of continuous shocks, Jordan has played a key role in the region and on the global stage in promoting cooperation and peace. But the country faces its own challenges from climate change to high levels of unemployment.

One of the highlights of my visit was a tour of the Aghati for Sweets & Ice Cream Factory, a company improving the prospects for women in a country where private sector jobs are scarce. It was heartening to hear that the factory has committed to achieving a 25% representation of female employees.

Another impactful way to promote female labor participation is to provide women with safe urban transportation. I witnessed this firsthand when I rode the bus with the Mayor of Amman to take a look at the Bus Rapid Transit system.

I chatted with Rola, a young woman who told me that having access to safe and affordable public transport was a game changer for her. This comes as no surprise because, in the city of Amman, three in five non-working women state that the lack of affordable, comfortable, safe, and reliable transport options is preventing them from looking for work.

?Women’s empowerment remains a key priority for Jordan where the government has set the ambitious target of doubling female labor force participation from 14% to 28% by 2033.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Vision for a Greener Future

In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, I saw a nation determined to embrace the future and take full advantage of the green energy transition and digital transformation.

As we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of 世界银行 ’s partnership with Saudi Arabia, we are working to facilitate exchange of ideas and best practices on key topics related to competitiveness and diversification. And a competitive economy is an economy where women thrive.

What I also saw in Riyadh was a country committed to putting women at the forefront of the Kingdom’s social and economic transformation. Case in point: The female labor force participation rate has grown from 17.4% in 2017 to 36% today. This offers valuable lessons to other countries and regions striving to reduce gender disparities —an agenda I will continue to champion relentlessly in the region and beyond.