Multilateral Development Banks

The Department of Treasury leads the Administration's engagement in the multilateral development banks (MDBs), which include the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The MDBs provide financial and technical support to developing countries to help them strengthen economic management and reduce poverty. Together, the MDBs provide support to the world's poorest in every corner of the globe, strengthening institutions, rebuilding states, addressing the effects of climate change, and fostering economic growth and entrepreneurship. At a time when few institutions were lending during the global financial crisis, the MDBs provided $222 billion in financing, which was critical to global stabilization efforts. 

America's leadership in these institutions ensures that the United States can help shape the global development agenda, leveraging its investments to ensure effectiveness and on-the-ground impact. For example, due largely to U.S. pressure, a significant component of MDB lending is now in the form of grants, helping to break the lend-and-forgive cycle that previously crippled development in many countries. U.S. leadership has also led to the adoption of new lending policies that focus on results, instead of volumes, and reward the strongest performers.

Another key U.S. priority is promoting better transparency across and within all the MDBs to help increase accountability and effectiveness. This Treasury website is intended to promote transparency and implement sections 1504 and 1505 of the International Financial Institutions Act added by Public Law 108-199 (2004) and Public Law 109-102 (2005), respectively. This section includes U.S. positions on loans, technical assistance and grants across the MDBs, new institutional or operational policies, inspection panel reports, U.S. reports to Congress and guidance on salient policy issues, such as reforming the World Bank's "Doing Business Report" and new guidance on investing in energy projects.