Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 10/2011

Regional Development Banks (ABCs of the IFIs Brief)

Jenny Ottenhoff

September 2011

Center for Global Development

Abstract

The regional development banks (RDBs) are multilateral financial institutions that provide financial and technical assistance for development in low- and middle-income countries within their regions. Finance is allocated through low-interest loans and grants for a range of development sectors such as health and education, infrastructure, public administration, financial and private-sector development, agriculture, and environmental and natural resource management. The term RDB usually refers to four institutions: