ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Middle East war to cut growth, deliver cascading impact, World Bank chief says
The two-week ceasefire announced by Trump appears tenuous, with Israel and Iran continuing strikes.
-
Reuters - Fri, 10, Apr 2026
- 16:18 EDT
- 31
FILE PHOTO: World Bank President Ajay Banga gives remarks during a forum held at the Atlantic Council building in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 7, 2026. REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz/File Photo / REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz/File Photo
The war in the Middle East will have a cascading impact on the global economy, even if the fragile ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump takes hold, World Bank President Ajay Banga told Reuters in an interview on April 10.
And the damage will be far deeper if the ceasefire fails and the conflict escalates, he said.
Banga on April 7 said global growth could be lowered by 0.3 to 0.4 percentage point in a baseline scenario, with an early end to the war, and by as much as 1 percentage point if it endures. Inflation could increase by 200 to 300 basis points, with a much higher impact - of up to 0.9 percentage point - if the war continues, he said.
Also Read: World Bank president Ajay Banga backs jobs push, cites India model
The war, which has killed thousands of people across the Middle East, has sent the price of oil up by 50 percent while disrupting supplies of oil, gas, fertilizer, helium and other goods, as well as tourism and air travel.
The two-week ceasefire announced by Trump appears tenuous, with Israel and Iran continuing strikes. Iran said on Friday that blocked Iranian assets must be released and a ceasefire must take hold in Lebanon before U.S.-Iran talks, scheduled for Saturday in Pakistan, can proceed. Trump said that U.S. warships were being reloaded with ammunition in case the talks failed.
"The question really is, does this current peace and the negotiations that are going to be happening this weekend - will this lead to a lasting peace and then a reopening of the Strait (of Hormuz)?" said Banga. "If it doesn't lead to that, and if conflict were to break out again, would that have an even larger impact, or longer-term impact on energy infrastructure?"
Banga said the world's largest development bank was already in discussions with some developing countries, including small island states with no natural energy resources, about tapping funds from existing programs under "crisis response windows."
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login