Multilateral development banks

Multilateral Development Banks

A Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) is a development bank, created by a group of countries, that provides financing, technical assistance and professional advice to enhance development. An MDB has many members, including developed donor countries and developing borrower countries. MDBs finance projects through long-term loans at market rates, very-long-term loans below market rates (also known as credits), and grants. Additionally, MDBs often have a geographic concentration area for their development objectives. With this geographic and thematic focus, funding for a variety of ventures – often resource-intense infrastructure projects – is provided. Since MDBs have a shareholding structure and are backed by member countries, they tend to profit from favorable loan conditions compared to other banks and can therefore take more risks in their investment strategy. This aids their development-driven cause.