In: Economics
A. Comment, through policy, on the relevance and effective management of multilateral financial institutions (MFIs) in the Caribbean in the 21st century. (500 words)
An international financial institution (IFI) is a financial institution that has been established (or chartered) by more than one country, and hence is subject to international law. Its owners or shareholders are generally national governments, although other international institutions and other organizations occasionally figure as shareholders. The most prominent IFIs are creations of multiple nations, although some bilateral financial institutions (created by two countries) exist and are technically IFIs. The best known IFIs were established after World War II to assist in the reconstruction of Europe and provide mechanisms for international cooperation in managing the global financial system.
A multilateral development bank (MDB) is an institution, created by a group of countries, that provides financing and professional advising for the purpose of development. MDBs have large memberships including both developed donor countries and developing borrower countries. MDBs finance projects in the form of long-term loans at market rates, very-long-term loans (also known as credits) below market rates, and through grants.
The following are usually classified as the main MDBs:
There are also several "sub-regional" multilateral development banks. Their membership typically includes only borrowing nations. The banks lend to their members, borrowing from the international capital markets. Because there is effectively shared responsibility for repayment, the banks can often borrow more cheaply than could any one member nation. These banks include:
There are also several multilateral financial institutions (MFIs). MFIs are similar to MDBs but they are sometimes separated since they have more limited memberships and often focus on financing certain types of projects.
A bilateral development bank is a financial institution set up by one individual country to finance development projects in a developing country and its emerging market, hence the term bilateral, as opposed to multilateral. Examples include:
The best-known IFIs were established after World War II to assist in the reconstruction of Europe and provide mechanisms for international cooperation in managing the global financial system. They include the World Bank, the IMF, and the International Finance Corporation. Today the largest IFI in the world is the European Investment Bank which lent 61 billion euros to global projects in 2011.
Founded | Name | www Address | Notes | HQ |
---|---|---|---|---|
1944 | IMF International Monetary Fund | http://www.imf.org | [permanent dead link] Specialised agency of the UN | Washington, DC |
1944 | IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development | http://www.worldbank.org | World Bank Group, Specialised agency of the UN | Washington, DC |
1956 | IFC International Finance Corporation | http://www.ifc.org | World Bank Group | Washington, DC |
1960 | IDA International Development Association | http://www.worldbank.org/ida | World Bank Group | Washington, DC |
1966 | ICSID, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes | http://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/Index.jsp | World Bank Group | Washington, DC |
1988 | MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency | http://www.miga.org | World Bank Group | Washington, DC |
1995 | GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, basis for the creation of World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 | http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/06-gatt_e.htm http |