World Bank headquarters. Photo:© Deborah Campos/World Bank CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
A new analysis of trends at the World Bank by Ford Foundation Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Program Analyst Kevin Currey provides data and context for the growing shares of Bank lending going to development policy loans and the private sector, even as overall lending declines. The paper also provides insight around the growth of trust funds and the current imperative to cut staffing costs. It concludes, among other things, that “declining profitability at IBRD places pressure on the Bank to be more competitive with other lenders. This could have the positive effect of helping the Bank strengthen key areas of differentiation, but it could also lead to reduced attention to safeguards and other perceived impediments to efficient lending.”
For the full analysis, see:
Some Evolving Trends at the World Bank: Lending, Funding, StaffingThis paper represents the views of the author only and does not necessarily represent the views of the Ford Foundation.