UK engagement with the World Bank Group
These papers set out the objectives of our relationship with the World Bank Group (WBG).
The WBG is consistently identified as amongst the most effective global development agencies. Its strengths include its presence across almost all low and middle income countries, strong technical capacity in a wide range of sectors, staff of high quality, and good delivery against challenging development objectives. For example, IDA’s results in 2002-13 included 195 million women receiving pre-natal care, over 120 million people gaining access to clean water and nearly 600 million children being immunised. In 2014, IFC supported the creation of 2.5 million jobs. Delivery in fragile states is, however, a key area where the WBG still needs to do better.
An updated assessment of the effectiveness of the WBG will be published as part of the next UK Multilateral Aid Review, due in early 2016.
The UK holds shares in International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and has a seat on each of their Boards. We are also contributing £3.3 billion (£2.8 billion grant and £486m loan) to International Development Association (IDA) from 2014 to 2017, and using the WBG to manage a further £600 million through Trust Funds.