About Us - Funding Agencies
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The World Bank was originally established
to support reconstruction in Europe after World War II, but has
since reframed its mission and expanded its operations both geographically
and substantively. Today, the Bank's mission is to reduce poverty.
It has over 184 member countries and provides over $20 billion
annually for activities ranging from agriculture to trade policy,
from health and education to energy and mining. The World Bank
provides funding for bricks-and-mortar projects, as well to promote
economic and policy prescriptions it believes will promote economic
growth. For example, part of the over $300 million the Bank is
currently providing the West African country of Niger funds health
programs addressing HIV/AIDS and irrigation. |
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a multilateral development finance institution whose mission is to reduce poverty in the Asia Pacific region. Although the ADB claims to operate in the interest of Asia’s poorest citizens, civil society groups have long been concerned about the ADB’s role in promoting sustainable and equitable growth in the region. The ADB was founded in 1966 with the goal of eradicating poverty in the region. With over 1.9 billion people living on less than $2 a day in Asia, the institution has a formidable challenge. It plays the following functions for countries in the Asia Pacific region:-Provides loans and equity investments to its developing member countries (DMCs) -Provides technical assistance for the planning and execution of development projects and programs and for advisory services -Promotes and facilitates nvestment of public and private capital for development -Assists in coordinating development policies and plans of its DMCs |
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UNOPS provides project management, procurement
and other support services to United Nations agencies, international
financial institutions, governments and non-governmental organizations. Established as part of the United Nations Development Programme in 1974, UNOPS became an independent, self-financing organization in 1995. With some 1,000 core staff and tens of thousands of consultants around the world, global headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a decentralized network of six regional offices and some 30 operations centres, UNOPS oversees activities in more than 50 project countries. |
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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was established in 1991 when communism was crumbling in central and eastern Europe and ex-soviet countries needed support to nurture a new private sector in a democratic environment. Today the EBRD uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in countries from central Europe to central Asia. The EBRD is the largest single investor in the region and mobilises significant foreign direct investment beyond its own financing. It is owned by 61 countries and two intergovernmental institutions. But despite its public sector shareholders, it invests mainly in private enterprises, usually together with commercial partners. It provides project financing for banks, industries and businesses, both new ventures and investments in existing companies. It also works with publicly owned companies, to support privatisation, restructuring state-owned firms and improvement of municipal services. The Bank uses its close relationship with governments in the region to promote policies that will bolster the business environment. |