ABCs of the IFIs

The international financial institutions (IFIs) are major sources of financial and technical assistance for developing countries and play a critical role in promoting economic development. CGD's “ABCs of the IFIs” policy briefs provide background information and practical analysis of the financial and governance characteristics of the IFIs and of the US relationship with these institutions.

More from the Series

BRIEF

The ABCs of the IFIs: IDA21 Update
Nico Martinez
and
Jocilyn Estes
December 15, 2025
The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessional window, plays a central role in financing development in low- and lower-middle-income countries. As one of the largest sources of development finance for the world’s poorest nations, IDA provides financing that is much ch...
Local people walking around in the village of Benjana, Madagascar
BRIEF

ABCs of the IFIs: Understanding the World Bank’s IDA21 Replenishment
Erin Collinson et al.
June 17, 2024
The International Development Association (IDA)—the World Bank’s arm that works in low- and lower-middle-income countries—is one of the largest sources of development assistance for the world’s poorest countries. It is also a crucial tool for resource-constrained governments to borrow on affordable ...
BRIEF

The ABCs of the IFIs: Understanding the World Bank Group Evolution

Victoria Dimond
and
Karen Mathiasen
July 17, 2023
In the fall of 2022, World Bank shareholders (member governments, including the United States) called for a suite of reforms aimed at better enabling the institution to respond to today’s global development challenges, such as pandemics, climate change, and natural disasters. The World Bank is one o...
Overview of World Bank Group headquarters. Photo: Franz Mahr / World Bank
BRIEF

The ABCs of Sovereign Debt Relief
Rakan Aboneaaj et al.
October 11, 2022
We are living in a time when many countries face heightened debt vulnerabilities. There is no international bankruptcy mechanism for countries that default on their external obligations. The objective of the international financial architecture—historically overseen by the IMF and its shareholders— ...