Difference between revisions of "World Bank"
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According to the [[World Bank]] website: | According to the [[World Bank]] website: | ||
:The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 184 member countries; the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | :The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 184 member countries; the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | ||
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| + | The Bank says it aims to help governments in developing countries to reduce poverty by providing them with money and the technical expertise they require for a wide range of projects, including education, health, infrastructure, communications, government reforms and many other purposes. An independent panel was created in 1993 to certify that the World Bank’s operations remained true to their outlined operational polices and procedures.<ref> The World Bank Website [http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTSITETOOLS/0,,contentMDK:20147466~menuPK:344189~pagePK:98400~piPK:98424~theSitePK:95474,00.html] Accessed 25th March 2008 </ref> | ||
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| + | ==Criticism== | ||
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| + | The World Bank has been heavily criticised about its operations in developing countries. Critics believe that the World Bank was formed not to fight poverty but to provide a front to fund US business interests, and argue that since the bank's existence overall world wide poverty has increased. | ||
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| + | For example, an editorial in ''The Ecologist'' argues: | ||
| + | :That this is so should come as little surprise. The World Bank, IMF and WTO were not created with poverty alleviation primarily in mind. They were designed at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in July 1944, to fulfil quite another agenda. To cite Henry Morgenthau, then US Treasury Secretary and president of the conference, the purpose was, "the creation of a dynamic world economy," to sustain the domestic American economy's continuous expansion by ensuring it sufficient access to foreign markets and raw materials.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2465/is_6_30/ai_65653637 Criticism of World Trade Organization, World Bank and International Monetary Fund - Editorial], The Ecologist, September 2000, Accessed 4 May 2009</ref> | ||
| + | ==People== | ||
President: [[Paul Wolfowitz]] | President: [[Paul Wolfowitz]] | ||
<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | <ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | ||
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*[[Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency]] | *[[Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency]] | ||
*[[International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes]] (ICSID)<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | *[[International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes]] (ICSID)<ref>[http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/0,,pagePK:50004410~piPK:36602~theSitePK:29708,00.html]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Contact=== | ||
| + | Website: http://www.worldbank.org | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
Revision as of 16:01, 5 May 2009
According to the World Bank website:
- The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 184 member countries; the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.[1]
The Bank says it aims to help governments in developing countries to reduce poverty by providing them with money and the technical expertise they require for a wide range of projects, including education, health, infrastructure, communications, government reforms and many other purposes. An independent panel was created in 1993 to certify that the World Bank’s operations remained true to their outlined operational polices and procedures.[2]
Criticism
The World Bank has been heavily criticised about its operations in developing countries. Critics believe that the World Bank was formed not to fight poverty but to provide a front to fund US business interests, and argue that since the bank's existence overall world wide poverty has increased.
For example, an editorial in The Ecologist argues:
- That this is so should come as little surprise. The World Bank, IMF and WTO were not created with poverty alleviation primarily in mind. They were designed at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in July 1944, to fulfil quite another agenda. To cite Henry Morgenthau, then US Treasury Secretary and president of the conference, the purpose was, "the creation of a dynamic world economy," to sustain the domestic American economy's continuous expansion by ensuring it sufficient access to foreign markets and raw materials.[3]
People
President: Paul Wolfowitz [4]
World Bank
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).[5]
Affiliates
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
- International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)[6]
Contact
Website: http://www.worldbank.org
