By most measures of human progress, the world is in better shape today than it has ever been—in life expectancy, in per capita GDP, in literacy rates, among other things. Yet, profound dissatisfaction has taken root in many countries, at every level of income. The global economic system that has powered much of this progress over the last 80 years is now widely regarded as broken. Nearly two-thirds of the global electorate went to the polls last year to register their displeasure regarding income inequality, cultural insecurity, and elite institutions.
Populism, in short, is ascendant to an unusually synchronized degree, fueled by a fragmenting public consensus on the policies needed for economic progress. It will pose a formidable development challenge in the coming years.
ABCDE—scheduled for July 22 to 25 and organized by the World Bank in conjunction with the Center for Global Development and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy—aims to assess the developments during the last decade, analyze the causes, and adjust our approach to economic progress.
Bringing together some of the world’s leading economic thinkers, the conference will help identify the best way forward—with deep dives on key topics such as artificial intelligence, migration, nutrition and health, and pollution, and a geographical focus that spans the world. Attendees will explore geopolitical shifts; unilateralism and multilateralism; and growth and opportunity.
8:00 – 9:00 ET | Registration and Breakfast |
9:00 – 9:15 ET | Welcome RemarksIndermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics |
9:15 – 9:45 ET | Opening Address: The End of Development Cooperation?Masood Ahmed, President Emeritus of the Center for Global Development (CGD) |
9:45 – 10:30 ET | Keynote AddressMohamed El-Erian, President of Queens’ College at Cambridge University |
10:30 – 11:15 ET | Plenary Panel: Development in the Age of PopulismPanelists:
Moderator: Justin Sandefur, Lead for Economic Growth, LMIC Program, Open Philanthropy |
11:15 – 11:30 ET | Coffee Break |
11:30 – 13:10 ET | Session 1: Reviving MultilateralismKeynote Address:Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore Panelists:
Chair: Matteo Bugamelli, Executive Director, World Bank |
13:10 – 14:30 ET | Lunch Break |
14:30 – 16:00 ET | Session 2: Artificial IntelligencePanelists:
Discussant: Han Sheng Chia, Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development (CGD) Chair: Gaurav Nayyar, Director of the WDR 2026, World Bank |
16:00 – 16:15 ET | Coffee Break |
16:15 – 17:45 ET | Session 3: PollutionPanelists:
Discussant: Carolyn Fisher, Lead Economist and Research Manager, Development Research Group, World Bank Chair: Somik Lall, Senior Adviser, Office of the Chief Economist and Director of Development Policy, World Bank |
8:00 – 9:00 ET | Registration and Breakfast |
9:00 – 9:30 ET | Stanley Fischer Memorial Lecture: Geopolitics and DevelopmentRobert B. Zoellick, former President of the World Bank Group (2007-12), former Deputy Secretary of State (2005-06), former U.S. Trade Representative (2001-05) |
9:30 – 11:00 ET | Session 4: Geopolitical ShiftsPanelists:
Chair: Aaditya Mattoo, Chief Economist, East Asia and Pacific; World Bank |
11:00 – 11:15 ET | Coffee Break |
11:15 – 11:45 ET | ABCDE 2025 LectureIndermit S. Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics |
11:45 – 13:15 ET | Session 5: Africa Growth and OpportunityPanelists:
Chair: Gero Carletto, Senior Manager in the Development Data Group at the World Bank |
13:15 – 14:45 ET | Lunch Break |
14:45 – 16:00 ET | A Book Talk with Keyu JinThe New China Playbook Beyond Socialism and CapitalismKeyu Jin, Professor of Finance, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Chair: Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics |
8:30 – 9:30 ET | Registration and Breakfast |
9:30 – 9:45 ET | Opening RemarksRachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development (CGD) |
9:45 – 11:15 ET | Plenary Panel: Poverty, Education, and Health in an Era of Unilateralism, Conflict, and Climate ChangePanelists:
Chair: Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development (CGD) |
11:15 – 11:45 ET | Coffee Break |
11:45 – 13:00 ET | A Fireside Chat with Indermit Gill and Arvind Panagariya: India’s Economic Progress and What It Means For The Global EconomyArvind Panagariya, Chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission of India Chair: Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics |
13:00 – 14:00 ET | Lunch Break |
14:00 – 15:30 ET | Session 6: How can Development Economics Meet the Moment? Practice, Research, and Teaching in a Time of Unilateralism and PolycrisisPanelists:
Chair: Markus Goldstein, Vice President of the Center for Global Development (CGD) |
15:30 – 16:00 ET | Coffee Break |
16:00 – 17:30 ET | Session 7: Education PolicyPanelists:
Chair: Deon Filmer, Director of the DECRG, World Bank |
17:30 – 19:00 ET | Cocktail Reception |
8:15 – 9:00 ET | Registration and Breakfast |
9:00 – 10:30 ET | Session 8: Agricultural Markets and NutritionPanelists:
Chair: Eeshani Kandpal, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development (CGD) |
10:30 – 11:00 ET | Coffee Break |
11:00 – 12:15 ET | Session 9: MigrationPanelists:
Andrew Selee, President of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Chair: Dany Bahar, Senior Fellow and Director of the Migration, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy, Center for Global Development (CGD) |
12:15 – 12:45 ET | Closing Remarks and Presentation of Human Development Flagship ReportMamta Murthi, Vice President for People Vice Presidency at the World Bank |
12:45 – 13:00 ET | Fireside Chat between David Evans and Mamta MurthiMamta Murthi, Vice President for People Vice Presidency at the World Bank David Evans, Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development |
13:00 – 14:30 ET | Lunch |
Related Work
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Event
Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics 2024
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July 09, 2024 8:00—6:00 PM EDT