What is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)?

Published by Thomas Herold in Banking, Investments

'International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)' is explained in detail and with examples in the Investments edition of the Herold Financial Dictionary, which you can get from Amazon in Ebook or Paperback edition.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development proves to be a principal and original organization within the World Bank. It loans money to help out middle income nations as well as poorer countries that are creditworthy. It derives the majority of its funds from selling bonds on the global capital markets.

Over 180 countries participate as members of the IBRD. Every member has a certain amount of voting power. This is based on its subscription of capital. The United States possesses a full sixth of all the IBRD’s shares. Besides an enormous amount of voting clout, the U.S. also owns the exclusive rights to veto any changes which are proposed for the bank itself.

The origins of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development hail back to the end of the Second World War. The United States founded it in 1944. The initial purpose of this organization lay in assisting Europe to rebuild itself from the devastation brought on by World War II. The role of the bank has since shifted to offering loans along with technical assistance, knowledge, and advice to mostly middle income nations.

As the first institution within the World Bank, the IBRD cooperates closely alongside the other institutions within the World Bank Group. Together they serve to encourage economic growth, to assist developing nations in reducing the poverty of their citizens, and to help spread prosperity.

The bank itself is owned by the 189 member nations’ governments. A board and directors represent these countries for routine decision making and administration. This board is comprised of 25 members who are Executive Directors. Five of these are appointed and 20 of them are elected by the owning members.

Developing nations are able to benefit greatly from the technical services, knowledge, and strategic advice that the bank provides. This is beyond its financial resources which it distributes as guarantees, loans, and risk management products. The World Bank serves in this capacity its beneficiaries who are also shareholders and global actors as well as being clients of the bank.

Not only national but sub national levels of governments can participate and benefit. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development finances a wide variety of projects spanning every sector. It simultaneously offers its expert knowledge and technical support for varying phases in an ongoing project.

Some of the financial services and products which the IBRD delivers assist countries with developing resilience to external shocks. They help with product access for alleviating negative affects of interest rates, currency exchange rates, destructive weather and natural disasters, and volatility in commodity prices. The bank is different from a traditional commercial lender in that it does more than serve as a financier. It also has an important role in the international transfer of knowledge and technical assistance.

In times of crisis, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development serves to help preserve the financial strength of its borrowers to limit the negative effects on the poor. It also works to provide financial market access to these nations at better terms than they would be able to attain by themselves. This helps with attracting private capital as well by encouraging a positive investment environment.

Many of the longer term social and personal development projects that the bank supports, private creditors would not consider. The bank also helps with promoting institutional reforms in areas like anti-corruption and public safety.

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The term 'International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)' is included in the Investments edition of the Herold Financial Dictionary, which you can get from Amazon in Ebook or Paperback edition.