World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings 2025 to Spotlight Urgent Youth Employment Challenge.

By Earnest Kivumbi Benjamin- updated at 2313 EAT on Friday 18th April 2025

WASHINGTON DC- With 1.2 billion young people in emerging economies set to reach working age over the next decade—and only about 420 million jobs expected to be created—the need for scalable, sustainable employment solutions has never been more urgent.

World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. He began his five-year term on June 2, 2023. Banga’s leadership focuses on transforming the World Bank into a faster, more efficient, and impactful partner in development. He is known for his work on job creation and inclusive growth, particularly emphasizing the role of the private sector in development.

That’s why jobs will take center stage at the 2025 World Bank Group/IMF Spring Meetings, taking place from April 21–27 in Washington, D.C.

The flagship event, “Jobs – The Path to Prosperity,” will be held on April 22 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM EDT at the World Bank Headquarters and streamed live on World Bank Live, with interpretation available in Arabic, French, and Spanish. This critical session will confront one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how to meet the employment aspirations of the developing world’s rapidly growing youth population.

Through inspiring stories from young entrepreneurs, engaging dialogue with private sector leaders, and strategic insights from World Bank Group leadership, the event will explore how to drive the creation of more—and better—jobs. From innovation to investment, skills development to sectoral transformation, this conversation aims to spark collective action toward a future where every young person has access to decent work.

Global leaders, policymakers, civil society voices, and industry pioneers will convene throughout the week to shape the future of international cooperation and inclusive growth.