United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - 107th Meeting of the Development Committee - Statement by Rt. Hon. Andrew Mitchell and Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt - April 12, 2023

Jul 19, 2026

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Statement by Rt. Hon. Andrew Mitchell and Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt at the 107th meeting of the Development Committee outlines the intensified global challenges since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, compounded by pandemic and other shocks. It emphasizes rising extreme poverty, acute food insecurity affecting hundreds of millions, out-of-school children, and the climate vulnerability–low investment cycle. The statement supports World Bank Group crisis response, calls for international financial system reform via the Bridgetown Initiative, and details needed reforms to vision, mission, the operating model, safeguards, and support for vulnerable countries and global public goods.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

107th Meeting of the Development Committee

Crisis context and urgent needs

World Bank Group actions and reform priorities

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (Joint Ministerial Committeeof the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fundon theTransfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries) ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTHMEETINGWASHINGTON,DC-APRIL12,2023 Statement by Rt.Hon.Andrew Mitchell,MPMinister of State for Development and Africa and Rt.Hon.Jeremy Hunt,MPChancellor of the Exchequer United Kingdom of Great Britainand Northern Ireland DC/S/2023-0016 April 12,2023 Statement by Rt.Hon.Andrew Mitchell,MPMinister of State for Development and Africa and Rt.Hon.Jeremy Hunt,MPChancellor of the Exchequer # United Kingdom of Great Britainand Northern Ireland 107hMeeting of the Development Committee April 12,2023 Washington,DC Over a year has passed since Russia launched its brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine.The world,alreadygrappling with the effects of the pandemic and other shocks,has experienced a series of further negativeimpacts.It is the most vulnerable that are affected the worst. After decades of progress,extreme poverty is on the rise.We are facing the most serious food security crisisin a generation with 345million people suffering from acute food insecurity.More than 200 million childrenare out of school.Countries are caught in a vicious cycle of high climate vulnerability and low investmentin climate adaptation.The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report makes clear that the window to keep 1.5 degreesalive is closing alarmingly fast. Last year,the World Bank Group acted quickly to create the Global Crisis Response Framework(GCRF).The UK strongly supported this at the time,and we thank WBG management and staff for their efforts todeliver the surge of lending under the GCRF.Those actions demonstrated the role which the WBG can playin a world of more severe and more frequent shocks-acting with agility to provide urgent support.Inaddition,as part of COP26 in 2021,the WBG committed to align its WB operations with the goals of theParis Agreement by 1 July 2023-we are pleased with the substantial progress made on this and lookforward to full implementation. We thank David Malpass for his leadership of the WBG through these crises.We wish him the very bestfor the future. The scale of the challenges facing the international system is unprecedented.That is why the systemurgently needs reforming,to unlock finance at scale and better respond to increasing complexity andmultiple overlapping shocks.That is the spirit of the Bridgetown Initiative,which Prime Minister MiaMottley has championed this last year. At the 2022 Annual Meetings,the UK with other chairs called for an urgent and serious look at reform ofthe International Financial System including the World Bank Group. Significant progress has been made since October.The proposals presented at these Spring Meetings are apositive first step.We look forward to a clear work plan setting out further high ambition in time fordecisions at the Annual Meetings in Marrakesh. First,we support the proposed changes to the Bank's Vision and Mission.We know that the current TwinGoals -to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity-are off-track.This is the moment to double-down on achieving them,with fresh ambition and innovation.Business as usual will leave millions in poverty.From the pandemic to gender inequality to climate change,we know that global challenges canderail progress in individual countries.It is right that the Bank step up its efforts to tackle these challenges.Not at the expense of the Twin Goals,but to deliver them. Second,on the operating model,reform of the toolkit is essential.We want to the Bank to emerge from theEvolution process as a modern and agile operation,delivering at greater pace and scale for clients,includingby exploring a more risk-based and proportionate approach to safeguards and increasing use ofprogrammatic support.We want to see further innovation for effective working in fragil

FAQs

What major global shocks does the statement reference?

It highlights the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ongoing effects of the pandemic, and other negative shocks that intensify harm to the most vulnerable.

What does the statement say about extreme poverty and food security?

It states that after decades of progress, extreme poverty is rising, and warns that the world faces the most serious food security crisis in a generation, with hundreds of millions experiencing acute food insecurity.

Which World Bank Group reforms are prioritized?

The statement supports changes to the Bank’s vision and mission, urges essential operating model reforms (including a more risk-based toolkit approach), and calls for better allocation of attention to vulnerability in financing.

Jul 19, 2026

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