Overview
By virtue of their mandate, Members of Parliament (MPs) stand as valued partners to the World Bank: they enact laws, debate and approve foreign aid budgets and loans, shape and review development policies, and hold governments accountable for World Bank-financed programs, thus building political will and financial support for global development priorities. And through its engagement with elected representatives, the World Bank effectively integrates citizens’ voices into its programs to achieve lasting and inclusive country outcomes.
Parliamentarians, in turn, have an interest in engaging with the World Bank: both because of the amount of resources it channels to the many countries in which it operates, and because it is an important source of knowledge and information on how to achieve development results.
How do we engage?
Global
Global Parliamentary Conferences and Workshops on the occasion of the Spring and Annual Meetings enable MPs to engage with World Bank senior management and experts on development issues.
Field visits (both in person and virtual) offer a first-hand look at World Bank programs on the ground in recipient countries and encourage peer-learning and exchanges.
The Global Young MP Initiative provides a platform for MPs under 40 years old to foster understanding and facilitate collaboration on development issues facing youth.
Regional and Country
Thematic briefings link MPs with World Bank senior management and experts to better inform them on pressing development issues for improved policies, reforms, and oversight.
- Capacity-building workshops offer training to MPs in budget cycle, parliamentary administration, and the role of parliament in curbing corruption.
- Consultations seek feedback and input from MPs on Country Partnership Frameworks, Systematic Country Diagnoses, and the Bank’s strategy and policies, such as the Environmental and Social Framework and gender.
- Open Knowledge: the Bank’s “Open Data Initiative” provides MPs with free and open access to a comprehensive set of data about development and cutting-edge research on development.
