World Bank says war to cut global growth, boosts financing target
2022.04.18 17:01
FILE PHOTO: World Bank President David Malpass speaks during a news conference at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF in Washington, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The World Bank is reducing its global growth forecast for 2022 by nearly a full percentage point, to 3.2% from 4.1%, due to the impacts from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, World Bank President David Malpass said on Monday.
Malpass told reporters on a conference call that the World Bank was responding to the added economic stresses from the war by proposing a new, 15-month crisis financing target of $170 billion, with a goal to commit about $50 billion of this financing over the next three months.
Malpass said the biggest component of the bank’s growth forecast reduction was a 4.1% contraction in the Europe and Central Asia region — comprising Ukraine, Russia and surrounding countries. Forecasts also are being cut for advanced and many developing economies because of spikes in food and energy prices caused by war-related supply disruptions, Malpass said.
