RUSSIALINK: “World Bank Urges Russia to Adopt Guaranteed Minimum Income to Slash Poverty” – Moscow Times

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Russia spends $30 billion on social welfare, but only 10% goes to the extremely poor. (Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – May 26, 2021) The World Bank has recommended Russia overhaul its welfare state if it wants to slash poverty as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S.-headquartered organization said Russia should adopt a “guaranteed minimum income” — a […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Russia Rises in World Bank’s Business Rating” – Moscow Times

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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – October 24, 2019) Russia has inched upward in the World Bank’s latest Doing Business report, rising three places but still missing President Vladimir Putin’s goal of breaking into the top 20. Putin set the challenge of leaping up the ease-of-business ratings by 2018 after the country placed a dismal 120th in 2011. The 2020 Doing […]

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RUSSIALINK: “World Bank Cuts Russian Growth Forecast” – Moscow Times

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Economy expected to expand by just 1% in 2019 amid weak investment, low consumer confidence and international sanctions (Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Oct. 9, 2019) The World Bank has become the latest organization to cut its outlook for the Russian economy, predicting growth of just 1% in 2019. A host of domestic and international factors are holding back the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian inflation, growth to remain low in 2019 says World Bank” – bne Intellinews

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“Russian inflation is in focus for 2019 as prices began to rise at the end of 2018 and ended the year slightly above the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) target rate of 4%. … the World Bank says that inflation will remain low this year and growth will be 1.5%, the same as in 2018 …. The U.S. government has […]

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World Bank: Russia Can Withstand Oil Price Volatility In 2019

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(Oilprice.com – Julianne Geiger – December 4, 2018) Russia is well-positioned to withstand external shocks, The World Bank said today in its most recent version of Russia Economic Report, cited by TASS. Oil prices are expected to average $71 per barrel over the next three years, the report also said, with the caveat that there is still “considerable uncertainty” to […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “IMF, World Bank see little progress in fight against corruption in Ukraine” – Interfax-Ukraine

International Monetary Fund Logo Over Ukraine Flag

“… key donors of Ukraine – the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank – note low effectiveness of the Ukrainian authorities in the fight against corruption. ‘We see good and important progress in setting out institutions for tackling investment …. Shortcomings in the judicial system and corruption are some of the key reasons why investment is so low […]

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NEWSWATCH: World Bank 2016 ranking of global economies in PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) (i.e. real – volume) – terms

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“Ranking – Economy – millions of international dollars) 1 China 21,417,150 2 United States 18,569,100 3 India 8,702,900 4 Japan 5,266,444 5 Germany 4,028,362 6 Russian Fed. 3,397,368 7 Brazil 8 Indonesia 9 United Kingdom 10 France … [* * * ]” Click here for NEWSWATCH: World Bank 2016 ranking of global economies in PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) (i.e. real […]

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NEWSWATCH: “IMF says Russia’s economy is gradually recovering” – bne Intellinews

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“The IMF projects real growth of GDP in Russia at the level of 1.4% in 2017 …. According to the World Bank, the Russian economy will grow by 1.3% in 2017, while Russia’s economic development ministry put the figure at 2%. … noticeably in the last two months … both real disposable incomes and construction activity [have been] improving. …” Click […]

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NEWSWATCH: “In Russia, The World’s Largest Lake Takes On The World Bank and Mongolian Power Build-Up” – Forbes/ Kenneth Rapoza

Lake Baikal and Environs Satellite Photo

“The biggest fresh water lake in the world is under attack … again … this time from Mongolian power companies with help from the World Bank looking to build two hydroelectric dams that draw from an important Russian river. … the World Bank held public hearings in Russia to discuss environmental impact studies around Lake Baikal in Russia, moving two mid-sized […]

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RUSSIALINK RBTH: World Bank urges Russia to invest in education and health care

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A new World Bank report shifts from the usual criticism of Russian dependence on raw materials toward the nation’s need to invest more in the population in order for them to be best prepared for the challenges of modernity. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – KIRA KALININA, RBTH – January 18, 2017) In a break from past reports, the […]

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World Bank Sees 1.5 Percent GDP Growth In Russia For 2017

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(RFE/RL – rferl.org – January 11, 2017) The World Bank is predicting 1.5 percent growth in Russia’s gross domestic product in 2017 and sees a gain of 1.7 percent in 2018 and 1.8 percent the following year, helped by increases in commodity prices. Russia’s projected GDP growth follows an estimated 0.6 percent contraction in 2016 and a 3.7 percent contraction […]

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RUSSIALINK RBTH: “World Bank upgrades its forecast for the Russian economy; Prediction a significant improvement over June report”

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On Nov. 9, the World Bank released its latest forecast for the Russian economy. The prediction was better than expected, showing the Russian economy shrinking by 0.6 percent in 2016, then rising by 1.5 percent in 2017 and by 1.7 percent in 2018. In June, the World Bank predicted that Russia’s GDP would fall by 1.2 percent in 2016.

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Half of Russians at Risk of Poverty, Says World Bank

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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – November 10, 2016) Half of Russia’s population risks falling into poverty, a report from the World Bank has revealed. Some 21.4 million people – or 14.6 percent of the population – fell below Russia’s national poverty line in the first half of 2016, with disposable incomes shrinking on average by 5.8 percent. The number of […]

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NEWSWATCH: “World Bank Improves Russia Economic Outlook, Sees 1.5 Percent GDP Growth in 2017” – Reuters

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… the World Bank said …. Russian gross domestic product will contract by 0.6 percent … oil prices are projected to recover to an average of $55 per barrel in 2017 [and] the Russian economy is expected to bottom out in the second half of this year. The World Bank sees it growing by 1.5 percent in 2017 and 1.7 […]

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Chink of light as World Bank improves forecast for Russian economy

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Russian analysts cite the rise in oil prices and economic reforms, including the devaluation of the ruble, among the main reasons for the recent improvement in the country’s economic performance. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – KIRA EGOROVA, RBTH – June 10, 2016) There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for the beleaguered Russian economy; […]

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Why the Doing Business ranking is so important for Russia; The World Bank report is seen as a key indicator for reforming the business environment

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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexei Lossan- November 20, 2015) Alexei Lossan is the RBTH Central Desk editor for business In November 2015, the World Bank released its annual Doing Business ranking, in which Russia managed to rise to 51st place. For the Russian economy, this ranking has a particular significance because the government has selected it as […]

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NEWSLINK AFP: Russian bear will roar once more, says World Bank. Russia economy forecast to grow by 0.7pc next year, reversing negative growth forecast

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Russia economy forecast to grow by 0.7pc next year, reversing negative growth forecast The World Bank is seeing some improvement in Russia’s battered economy, predicting it would shrink by 2.7pc this year and return to growth of 0.7pc in 2016.  

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NEWSLINK: World Bank: Reforms are the Best Antidote to Exogenous Shocks Confronting Ukraine, Says World Bank

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Despite decisive measures in 2014 to stabilize the economy and jumpstart growth, Ukraine’s economic woes worsened mainly due to the conflict in the east. In its new Ukraine Macroeconomic Update, the World Bank projects real GDP to fall by 7.5 percent in 2015, down from 6.8 percent in 2014. This lower forecast is mainly driven by the ongoing conflict that […]

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World Bank warns of looming two-year recession in Russia

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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Alexei Lossan, RBTH – April 8, 2015) A report released by the World Bank projects no economic growth in Russia either in 2015 or 2016. This forecast is at odds with the figures from the Russian Ministry of the Economy, which predicts an economic growth of 2.3 percent as early as in 2016. […]

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Interfax: World Bank expects Russian GDP to fall 2.9 percent in 2015, edge up in 2016

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(Interfax – January 14, 2015) The World Bank expects Russian GDP to contract by 2.9 percent in 2015, but edge up by 0.1 percent in 2016, the bank said in its January Global Economic Prospects report. The World Bank estimates that the Russian economy grew by 0.7 percent in 2014. The bank is forecasting that Russian economic growth will accelerate […]

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Russia Climbs 30 Places in World Bank Business Ranking

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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Sam Skove – October 30, 2014) Despite dire forecasts for its sanctions-struck economy, Russia has leaped up an unprecedented 30 positions in the World Bank’s annual “Doing Business” survey for 2015, the bank said Wednesday. Russia rose to 62nd place out of 189 ranked countries, ahead of China at 90, Brazil at 120 and India […]

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World Bank Approves First Russia Investment Since Crisis

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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Sandrine Rastello – June 3, 2014) The World Bank approved an investment in Russia for the first time since President Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea, overriding opposition from Canada and lack of support from the U.S. The International Finance Corp., the lender’s private-sector arm, voted May 29 for parts of a 250 million euro ($340 million) package […]

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World Bank Pledges $3 Billion Loan to Ukraine for Reforms

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MOSCOW, March 11 (RIA Novosti) – The World Bank announced Tuesday that it will provide up to $3 billion to support reforms in Ukraine, which is struggling to put its economy back on track amid political turbulence. The lender said that restoring economic stability, strengthening the banking sector, reforming the energy sector, tackling corruption, enhancing investment and improving social assistance […]

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Doing Business in Russia now easier than in China, says World Bank

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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Artem Zagorodnov, RBTH    – October 31, 2013) Russia moves ahead of its fellow BRIC countries in the World Bank’s latest Ease of Doing Business ranking, as the country fights to attract international investment. Russia jumped 20 places in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business survey to number 92 out of 185 […]

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Russia shoots up World Bank’s Doing Business ranking

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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – October 29, 2013) Russia has shot up the rankings of the World Bank’s annual Doing Business index this year. According to the survey, its now easier to do business in Russia than in China, the previous stand-out leader in the ranking amongst the five Brics nations. “Improving the investment climate is a top policy […]

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World Bank Cuts Russian Economic Growth Forecasts, Urges Reform

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(RIA Novosti – MOSCOW, September 25, 2013) ­ The World Bank cut its 2013 growth forecast for the Russian economy in a new report published Wednesday, asserting that domestic consumers had followed investors in “sitting on the fence” over the economy and warning that structural reforms would be necessary to stimulate new growth. Russia’s economy will expand by 1.8 percent […]

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Doing Business: Moscow works on self-improvement

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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Kirill Rudenko, RBTH – August 13, 2013) Over the 11 years during which the World Bank has compiled its Doing Business ratings, Russia has never been named among the 100 countries with favorable conditions for small and medium-sized businesses. Federal agencies and the Moscow government are now determined to change this. In mid-July […]

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World Bank and IMF added Russia to the list of rich countries

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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – July 5, 2013) World Bank and IMF upgraded Russia’s position in national income rating. World Bank has ranked the country 72nd in its gross national income (GNI) per capita rating. Now Russia classifies as a country with a high income level, as follows from the organization’s statement. “The major change for 2013 classification (FY14) […]

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World Bank Praises ‘Doing Business’ Progress

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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Irina Filatova – January 18, 2013) Russia is on the right path to radically improve its business environment and move up 100 notches within the next five years in the global rankings of the favorableness of countries’ investment climate, a World Bank official said Thursday. But its eventual position in relation to other countries in […]

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World Bank lowers Russia GDP growth forecast to 3.5% in 2012, 3.6% in 2013

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MOSCOW. Oct 8 (Interfax) – The World Bank has lowered its 2012 GDP growth forecast for Russia to 3.5%, from the 3.8% it was predicting in June, the World Bank said in its latest Russian Economic Report. The 3.5% growth is the same as the World Bank forecast back in March. The World Bank also lowered its 2013 growth forecast […]

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