WorldBankGroup

From 911Encyclopedia:

The World Bank Group, with the help of the World Bank Institute, is one of the world's largest sources of development assistance. In fiscal year 2002, the institution provided more than US$19.5 billion in loans to its client countries. The institutions that comprise the World Bank Group are IBRD ( http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/backgrd/ibrd/ ), IDA ( http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/backgrd/ibrd/ http://www.worldbank.org/ida/ ), IFC ( http://www.ifc.org/ ), MIGA ( http://www.ifc.org/http://www.miga.org/ ) and ICSID ( http://www.ifc.org/http://www.miga.org/http://www.worldbank.org/icsid/ ). In late 2002, the World Bank released a book called "The Right to Tell - The Role of Mass Media in Economic Development" ( http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/righttotell.html ), which explained, how a "free press can reduce poverty and boost economic development in poor countries but the success of newspapers, radio and TV stations in spurring development depends on their independence, quality, and their ability to reach a wide audience." In 1999, the World Bank's Economic Development Institute, the Bank's external training arm which was founded in 1955, merged with the Bank's Learning and Leadership Center thereby adding to its work program the training of Bank staff. A year later the Institute's name was changed to the World Bank Institute (WBI). WBI programs were offered in 149 countries in 2000. The Institute's head office is in Washington, D.C. WBI has field offices in China and the Russian Federation.