Shibbir Ahmed, WASHINGTON DC  — Artificial intelligence could give developing countries a rare opportunity to accelerate economic growth, improve public services and address long-standing development challenges, according to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence.

The report examines the potential impact of artificial intelligence on 5.6 billion people living in low- and middle-income countries and argues that developing economies do not need to build the world’s most advanced AI systems to benefit from the technology. Instead, the World Bank recommends that countries follow a three-part approach: adopt, adapt and advance.

The report says developing countries can begin by adopting existing AI tools in areas such as health care, agriculture, education and government services. They can then adapt those technologies to local languages, institutions, data and development needs.

AI-powered tools are already helping farmers improve weather-related decisions, supporting medical screening and assisting teachers in preparing educational materials, according to the World Bank.

The institution warns, however, that the benefits of AI will not be automatic. Reliable infrastructure, digital connectivity, education, skills, strong institutions and access to relevant data will be essential if developing economies are to translate AI adoption into higher productivity and broader prosperity.

The report also highlights the risk of a widening global AI divide. A small number of countries and companies currently dominate advanced AI models, semiconductor production and data-center infrastructure, potentially creating new forms of technological dependence.

For most developing economies, the World Bank says building frontier AI models from scratch is unlikely to be a realistic near-term strategy because of the enormous costs involved in computing infrastructure, data and specialized talent.

Instead, countries should focus on practical applications that expand access to expertise and improve productivity while building the infrastructure and skills needed for deeper participation in the AI economy.

The World Bank describes the rapid spread of AI as a historic opportunity for developing economies, noting that AI is spreading faster than earlier general-purpose technologies such as electricity and the internet.

The report argues that strategic adoption and adaptation could allow developing countries to capture significant economic and social gains without having to compete directly with the world’s largest technology companies in developing frontier AI systems.

Shibbir Ahmed, United Nations, New York: The devastating floods in Nepal and recent wildfires in Europe should serve as a wake-up call for the world to take more urgent action against the growing risks of climate change, said Mafalda Duarte, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Palau, Duarte said climate change was receiving less urgency in global politics than other major crises. While the international community has demonstrated the ability to mobilise large amounts of funding quickly in response to wars, conflicts and other emergencies, climate-related challenges have not received a similar response, she said.

Duarte warned that the world is moving closer to several climate “tipping points”, beyond which reversing environmental damage could become increasingly difficult or even impossible.

“We can mobilise money quickly when we choose to respond to an emergency,” Duarte said, stressing that climate change should be treated with the same sense of urgency.

She cited Nepal’s recent floods, along with heatwaves and wildfires in Europe, as examples of the increasingly widespread impacts of climate change. According to Duarte, climate-related disasters are no longer confined to developing countries. Both developed and developing nations are increasingly facing the consequences of a changing climate.

Growing Concern Over Nepal Disaster

The recent floods and landslides in Nepal’s Himalayan region have caused extensive destruction and raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of mountain communities to extreme weather events. The disaster occurred in the Himalayan region near the Nepal-China border, with sudden flows of water and large amounts of debris affecting several areas.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has also described the disaster as a serious warning about the growing risks associated with climate change and called for stronger international action to support countries vulnerable to climate-related disasters.

Experts say rising global temperatures are contributing to changes in Himalayan glaciers, snow cover and other environmental conditions, potentially increasing the risks of floods, landslides and glacier-related disasters. However, determining the precise contribution of climate change to any individual disaster requires further scientific analysis.

Concerns Over Climate Finance

The Green Climate Fund provides financial support to developing countries for climate adaptation, resilience and efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. According to the BSS/AFP report, the fund has invested about $19 billion across 134 developing countries.

However, concerns remain over the future of international climate finance. The report said the United States withdrew from the fund in January, while Britain halved its contribution in May. Duarte stressed that climate-vulnerable countries need faster and more accessible financing to prepare for and respond to the growing impacts of climate change.

Pacific Region Sees Increased Investment

Duarte is currently in Palau, where leaders of Pacific island nations are attending their annual summit. For many of these small island states, climate change represents a major threat to their security, economies and long-term survival. The Green Climate Fund has increased its investment in the Pacific region significantly. Over the past three years, its investment there has doubled to around $1 billion.

Duarte acknowledged that accessing climate finance remains difficult for many small island nations. She said efforts were under way to streamline the process, with the average approval period now taking about nine months.

Tina Stege, the climate envoy of the Marshall Islands, has also called for faster and more tangible progress on climate finance. She expressed frustration over the limited funding available through the separate United Nations-backed “loss and damage” mechanism, which is intended to help vulnerable developing countries address the impacts of climate-related disasters.

Duarte said there was still time to act on climate change, but the window for effective action was narrowing. She urged governments and the international community to move faster, increase climate financing and work together to address the growing risks posed by a warming planet.

Shibbir Ahmed | United Nations, New York — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for sweeping reforms to global institutions, arguing that the international system must adapt to a rapidly changing, increasingly multipolar world.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, Guterres said global power relations were changing while many multilateral institutions continued to reflect the geopolitical realities of 1945.

“We must reform our multilateral institutions, including the United Nations and the Bretton Woods system, to reflect today’s realities,” Guterres said, calling for greater representation and influence for developing countries in order to build a fairer global order.

Guterres said the world was becoming increasingly multipolar and argued that the trend should be strengthened.

“Multipolarity is a condition for justice in global governance and international relations,” he said, describing it as a foundation for effective multilateralism and a United Nations that serves all countries without double standards.

The UN chief has repeatedly called for reforms to the Security Council and other international institutions to make them more representative of the current distribution of global power.

His remarks in Bishkek also highlighted four areas for stronger international cooperation: global security, development financing, climate action and governance of artificial intelligence.

Guterres’ call comes amid growing geopolitical tensions, conflicts and disputes over the effectiveness of existing international institutions. His message was clear: as global power shifts, the institutions governing international affairs must change with it.