United Nations – World Bank Partnership in Crisis-Affected Situations : 2020 UN-WB Partnership Monitoring Report

WBG (World Bank Group) and UN (United Nations)

ABSTRACT

Over the last two decades, conflicts and crises have increasingly threatened global peace and stability, as well as sustainable development. Violent conflict has become more transnational and protracted, impacting both low- and middle-income countries. The world continues to face the largest forced displacement crisis ever recorded, with 79.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Furthermore, climate change is a threat multiplier that can intensify fragility and conflict. Additional risks, such as those posed by technological change and demographic pressures, can pose challenges to even the most resilient societies as well. In 2020, fragility, conflict, and violence globally further intensified as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, posing a major obstacle to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and the World Bank Group's twin goals to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed an estimated 19 to 30 million additional people in fragile and conflict-affected settings into extreme poverty, while threatening to double the number of food insecure people to 270 million globally. In the face of these global challenges, countries already threatened by conflict and crisis are among the most vulnerable. In 2020, many lacked the tools needed to respond to the pandemic’s far-reaching impact because of pre-existing vulnerabilities and gaps in social safety nets, health systems, deep regional disparities, and low levels of public trust. In several countries, the crisis has therefore exacerbated risks and grievances, leading to greater deprivation and social unrest.