What Are The Other Activities of The World Bank?

Other Activities of the Bank

In addition to lending activities, the Bank also undertakes the following activities :

• Training : In 1956, the Bank set up a staff college to provide training to senior officials of the member countries. This Bank is known as Economic Development Institute (EDI). The Institute helps the officials in improving the management of their economies and to increase the efficiency of their investment programmes.The EDI also organizes seminars in Washington and in different regions of the world in cooperation with regional institutes.

• Technical Assistance : The World Bank also provides technical assistance to its member This assistance include :

(a) Engineering-related: It includes feasibility studies, engineering design and construction supervision;

(b) Institution-related: It includes diagnostic policy and institutional studies, management support and training.

The primary way of providing technical assistance is through loans made for supervision, implementation and engineering services, energy, power, transportation, water supply etc. In 1975, the bank created Project Preparation Facility (PPF) for meeting gaps in project preparation and for institution building. The bank also acts as executing agency for project financed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

• Inter- Organizational Co-operation:- The World Bank is also engaged in inter-organizational It is based on formal agreement between it and international organizations. Such as, the cooperative programmes between it and FAO, UNESCO, WHO, GATT, UNCTAD, UNEP UNDP, UNIDO, ILO, African Development Bank, The Asian Development Fund for Agriculture Development etc.

(iv)Economic & Social Research:- In 1983, the bank established a Research Policy Council, it provides leadership in the guidance, coordination and evaluation of all the bank research. The Bank’s research staff undertakes research activities of its own and also in collaboration with outside researchers.

• Operations Evaluation:- The bank has set up the Operations Evaluation Department to help borrowers in the post evaluation of bank assisted projects. Members of borrower’s staff visit this department for seeking help in the preparation of project completion report.

• Settlement of Investment Disputes:- The bank has set up the International Center of the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and nationals of other states. The bank has successfully mediated in solving many International investment disputes such as the River Water Dispute between India & Pakistan, And the swez Canal disputes between Egypt and the UK.