World Bank Founded in 1944, the main
mission of the World Bank Group is to
fight poverty in order to obtain lasting results and help people help
themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge,
building capacity, and forging partnerships in the public and private
sectors. The World Bank is owned by
181 member countries, which are shareholders and carry the ultimate
decision-making power in the Bank. The Bank has its headquarters in
Washington DC and offices in 100 countries, with a total of approximately
10,600 employees. The World
Bank Group consists of five affiliated institutions: the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD); the International
Development Association (IDA); the International
Financial Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral
Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International
Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is the largest source of
development assistance and is now working in more than 100 developing
economies, providing them with both financing and ideas to improve living
standards and eliminate the worst forms of poverty. Its priorities include:
investing in people, through health and education; focusing on social
development, inclusion, governance, and institution-building as key elements
of poverty reduction; strengthening the ability of the governments to
deliver quality services; protecting the environment; lending support to the
private sector; and promoting reforms to create a stable macroeconomic
environment that is conducive to investment and long-term planning. For more information on World Bank activities, please visit its Web site: http://www.worldbank.org. |