One dollar invested in prevention saves 16 dollars down the road.
So, focusing on prevention is important – not only economically speaking; this is smart – but it's also to save lives.
Today, on ExpertAnswers, we're asking how to address poverty in countries that are either fragile or in the midst of violent conflict.
The data shows us that – in recent years – violent conflict has spiked to levels not seen in three decades.
Meanwhile, many other countries are fragile, meaning that their governments are unable or are struggling to provide basic services to their citizens.
And they're facing increased risks – climate change, demographic change, inequality, and so much more.
So, what does that mean for an institution like the World Bank?
Well, other data shows us that it's estimated by 2030, around half of the world's extreme poor will live in countries that are affected by fragility, conflict, or violence.
Well, to learn more about the link between poverty and FCV, and the Bank's first strategy to address these challenges,
I spoke to the man in charge of it all: Franck Bousquet.
-Franck, we have this term "FCV" – fragility, conflict, violence. Can you unpack that a little bit? Help us understand – what exactly does that mean?
-So, fragility, it's about countries, states that have deep governance issues, and lack of capacity to provide basic services to citizens.
Services, in terms of justice, rule of law, but also basic services – education, health...
And that's typically happening when states do not have the capacity to address some key drivers of fragility, which can be environmental, social, economic exclusions...
-So, something like climate change could make them fragile? -That's definitely part of it, obviously.
So that's what we define by the notions of fragility.
Conflict – we understand, we know what it is. And violence, that's gang violence, interpersonal violence, gender-based violence...
One of the big questions I have is... the Bank has always kind of worked on FCV, but now this is like – if I'm not mistaken – the first big FCV strategy
that the World Bank is rolling out. What has changed? Like, why is that new strategy needed today?
Well, you are right, the Bank has been involved in fragility, conflict, and violence over the past decades.
In fact, after World War II, the first loan for reconstruction of France, my home country, was actually provided by the Bank.
So, the Bank has been working – but it was more on the reconstruction side.
And over the past decades the Bank has been progressively involved – more and more – across the fragility spectrum.
So, it's not only about reconstruction, but it's also working more and more in crisis, in conflict situations.
-So, let's talk through this new strategy. Walk me through some of the key points of it.
What is it attempting to do?
-The strategy is really building on all the progress made by the Bank over the past decades.
Over the past few years, we have significantly scaled-up in terms of financing.
But, as important as financing, the strategy aims to provide guidance to maximize our effectiveness on the ground, depending on the situation.
Working in FCV is a core mission of the Bank. Why?
Because overall – over the past decades – poverty has decreased, except in those countries impacted by fragility, conflict, and violence, where poverty is increasing.
-When it comes to prevention...The Bank, as you said, was born out of World War II and helping reconstruct Europe.
Now we're looking at trying to head-off conflict. Is that really the Bank's job? Has the Bank done this before?
-Definitely. In fact, it's proper development.
One dollar invested in prevention saves 16 dollars down the road.
So, focusing on prevention is important – not only economically speaking; this is smart – but it's also to save lives.
-And then on assisting during conflict...
When I think of big intergovernmental organizations working during conflict, I think like of the UN Blue Helmets, or NGO actors like the Red Cross/Red Crescent.
I don't think of the World Bank necessarily. Is the Bank set up for this? Is it really going to be working actively in conflict zones?
-Now, does it mean that we are becoming a humanitarian agency or a security agency? We are not.
But, what it means is that we have to work with other actors to have the security needed to provide development.
So the Bank's core comparative advantage is really not to provide humanitarian aid, water, or blankets.
It's about strengthening institutions for service delivery – strengthening the resilience of the state so that conflict doesn't spread across the country.
But also to help in building back better and faster.
-Talk me through some of the practical changes about the way the Bank operates that are going to be a result of this strategy.
So, a number of changes.
So, first, as I mentioned, we are really scaling-up our financing.
So, basically, we are putting our resources in those countries that are impacted by fragility, conflict, and violence, and scaling-up significantly.
But the whole strategy is not only about financing.
First, it's about putting our best resource – meaning human resource, our staff – on the ground.
The second focus of the strategy – the first one being personnel, human resource – the second focus is about partnership.
Again, I insist, because it's very important that we discuss – partnership is key because all those protracted crises require partnerships
between institutions that have different mandates.
-So, as we sort of wrap up here, talk to me about the overall goal with this new strategy.
What do you hope that it accomplishes?
-To have an institution that is really building on all the scaling-up that we have done over the past few years.
To be best fit for purpose.
Having more staff on the ground. Staff who have the right skills to develop in these challenging situations.
To have operations, programs that are a tailored approach.
And making sure that we are really focusing on the key drivers of fragility.
So it's really stepping up. Not only with the financing, but also in maximizing on impact at all levels – policy, programing, personnel.
-Thank you so much, Franck. -Thank you.
A huge thanks to Franck Bousquet for his time.
If you want to learn more about fragility, conflict, and violence, and the Bank's first strategy to address some of these challenges
head on over to worldbank.org.
And, if you'd like to leave us feedback about this episode, send us an email –expertanswers@worldbank.org.
Until next time, goodbye.