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WORLD BANK OPERATIONS
  
  
|RANTS
AREA OF OPERATIONS
]RITI]ISM
„ PROPRIOTIES OF WORLD BANK
 RE]ENT TRADE UPDATES

 !"#" - The World Bank |roup has nearly completed its consultations with
stakeholders - including member governments, private sector bodies, civil society
organizations, academia, international organizations, and donor agencies - to gather
input for a new trade strategy. The consultations have generated a wealth of input
and views that will be reflected in the strategy. A draft strategy paper is expected to
be ready in late September and will be posted on this website for public comment
before being revised for consideration by the World Bank board of executive
directors. The final strategy document is expected to be completed in late 2010.
 What is world bank doing
FOOD ]risis:
In response to the severity of the food crisis and the need for prompt
action, the World Bank |roup set up the |lobal Food ]risis Response
Program (|FRP) in May 2008 to provide immediate relief to countries
hard hit by high food prices. The Bank response has been articulated in
coordination with the United Nations͛ High-Level Task Force on food
security. Through its response, the Bank is supporting the implementation
of the joint ]omprehensive Framework for Action (]FA).

ß A tripling of support for  $ % &   (school feeding, nutrition,

conditional cash transfer, cash for work).

ß A new |'
'( ] &     which has approved $710
million for 21 African countries.
 ]ont..
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Between July 2008 and January 2010, the Bank provided a record +,
'' &&  to developing
and middle-income countries. Assistance includes:

‰ $„ .1 billion by the     '- $     

' &  .- / which
provides financing and technical assistance to middle income countries, where 70% of the world͛s
poor live.

‰ $18. billion committed by the     '

' &     ./  which provides
interest-free loans and grants to the world͛s 79 poorest countries.

‰ $1„.„ billion by the     '(  ] &    .(]/ the Bank |roup͛s private sector
development arm, which also launched an array of crisis response initiatives, including a $ billion
fund to strengthen banks, a $„ billion |lobal Trade Liquidity Program, and a $2.4 billion
Infrastructure ]risis Facility.

‰ $1.9 billion in guarantees by the ''   '

 |    % .|/ the Bank
|roup͛s political risk insurance agency. The majority of the guarantees support continued lending
by banks in response to the financial crisis.

‰ Assistance to countries designed to maintain '  $  

  and sustain
potential for private sector-led growth and job creation.
Ú)01