As global standards grow more complex, this report offers a practical framework for using them to support competitiveness, inclusion, and development outcomes.
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Standards underpin trade, technology, and service delivery—often invisibly, but decisively. As global standards become more complex, developing countries face growing challenges in meeting them and influencing how they are set. This has major implications for inclusion, competitiveness, and development impact. The World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development provides a practical framework for governments and development partners to use standards more strategically to accelerate economic development.
Publication date: 11 December 2025
Suggested citation:
World Bank. 2025. World Development Report 2025: Standards for Development. World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-2275-9.
