03/31/2026
๐ฌ WHY IMPACT AND RESULTS DEFINE THE UNIQUE VALUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (IDA)
In an era defined by overlapping crises, from pandemic recovery and climate shocks to debt pressures and fragile conflicts, the global community often asks: Does multilateral development finance still work? Does it deliver where it matters most?
As we reflect on the just-concluded IDA20 financing cycle (2023โ2025), the answer is a resounding yes. But the proof is not in the press releases; it is in the data, the stories, and the systemic resilience built across 78 countries.
In February, we launched the IDA20 Retrospective, and the numbers tell a powerful story of scale. We mobilized $97.4 billionโnearly 28 percent more than the previous cycleโand deployed with unprecedented agility. But as Iโve traveled and spoken with partners, Iโve emphasized that the International Development Association (IDA) is not merely a checkbook. It is a time-tested, transparent, and financially innovative instrument designed to tackle the most pressing challenges in low-income countries through impact.
Here is what the numbers actually mean in human and developmental terms.
1๏ธโฃ First, IDA delivers at scale because it responds with both speed and sustainability. When COVID-19 threatened to erase decades of progress, IDA moved quickly to front-load support, helping countries maintain essential health and education services. But we didn't stop at emergency response. As Kalpana Kochhar of the Gates Foundation, a key partner in our work, noted, โIDA helped countries pivot from crisis mode to building resilient systemsโstrengthening primary health care, training community health workers, and upgrading labs and data surveillance. This dual approachโrapid response married to long-term institution buildingโis the hallmark of IDAโs model.โ
2๏ธโฃ Second, IDA goes where the need is greatest, particularly in Fragile and Conflict-affected States (FCV). During IDA20, we directed 89 percent of our resources to Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, home to 80 percent of the worldโs poor. Critically, 40 percent of commitments supported countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. We reached nearly 200 million people in these challenging environments. This is not just about aid; it is about stability. As we have seen, building economic hope is a prerequisite for building peace. Without stability, there will be no long-term development.
3๏ธโฃ Third, we are enabling infrastructure that underpins future economies. Development is impossible without power and connectivity. Through IDA20, we supported renewable energy generation and provided nearly 55 million people with new or improved electricity services. We have expanded internet access to 138 million people. Private sector partners working through the IDA Private Sector Window (PSW) emphasize its importance. Hans Olav Kvalvaag, CEO of Release by Scatec, noted that the PSW offering guarantees to bring private capital into solar and battery projects in the least-developed countries, reducing dependency on expensive and dirty fuel alternatives.
4๏ธโฃ Fourth, the "how" matters as much as the "how much." What makes me most proud is the IDA partnership model. As Nigeriaโs Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, articulated so clearly, the relationship with IDA is "unique and multifaceted." It is not a top-down process. Countries bring their own ideas, their own priorities. We ensure that IDA financing aligns with national strategies, is affordable, and comes at scale in a timely manner. This country-led approach ensures ownership, which is the only path to sustainability.
The retrospective also served as a learning moment. We delivered, but we must evolve. A recurring theme was the centrality of jobs. We must ensure that our investments in human capitalโhealth, education, and skillsโtranslate into employment, particularly for a youth population that is growing exponentially in IDA countries.
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli of One Campaign challenged us to move fast: youth must be at the tableโin government, in business, and in our own operations. Just as gender is a cross-cutting lens, youth engagement must be integrated into everything we do in IDA21.
As Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi reminded us, at a time of pressure on global aid and rising debt, IDA represents a continued commitment to multilateral partnership. Done well, development finance can help realize our shared global future.
IDA20 proved that this institution can deliver with agility, transparency, and financial efficiency. Now, as we build toward IDA22, we are not resting. We are scaling impact, deepening partnerships, and doubling down on what matters most: creating jobs and building stable, secure, and growing economies for the billions who still look to us for hope and opportunity.
โ๏ธ ๐๐บ ๐๐ฌ๐ช๐ฉ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฐ ๐๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฐ, ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ช๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ
