World Bank announces historic collaboration between multilateral development banks

The World Bank is bolstering its collaboration with nine Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to fast-track solutions that can change the lives of people in developing countries.

Stronger engagement with MDBs is a key element of the Bank’s new playbook—and in realizing its ambitious new vision of a world free of poverty on a livable planet. The African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Council of Europe Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the New Development Bank all joined the World Bank in the agreement sealed today.

“Working together for a common cause, we can bring more experience, expertise, knowledge, and, especially, more funding to the massive challenges facing the world today,” World Bank President Ajay Banga said. “Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts—and our impact can be multiplied exponentially.”

Measures already being implemented or under consideration by the MDBs could yield $300-400 billion of additional lending capacity over the next decade.

The potential for impact from deeper partnership is enormous, helping improve lives as countries confront a perfect storm of intertwined crises—from climate shocks and conflicts to pandemics and surging debt.

The heads of the MDBs today agreed to boost collaboration in five key areas:

* Scaling up financing capacity through financial innovations including portfolio guarantees and hybrid capital while stepping up their joint approach to credit rating agencies.

* Boosting collective efforts on climate as MDBs implement their joint principles for assessment of Paris Agreement Alignment, and better tracking and reporting of climate outcomes beyond joint climate finance reporting. Enhancing country-level collaboration to ensure that joint efforts deliver greater impact.

* Strengthening co-financing by harmonizing and standardizing our processes and seeking co-financing opportunities for greater speed and reach.

* Catalyzing private sector engagement including through joint innovative mechanisms that strengthen the mobilization of private capital.

The new agreement comes as the Bank makes a renewed push around partnership. As well as working closely with MDBs, the Bank is strengthening efforts to partner with the private sector, civil society, other multilateral institutions, and philanthropy. These partnerships crowd in funding and expertise, enhance the exchange of knowledge and data, share lessons and best practices, and multiply networks of support and advocacy to drive success around shared priorities.