Soft Lending without Poor Countries: Recommendations for a New IDA : Center for Global Development : Publications

The International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank provides low-cost loans to countries unable to borrow elsewhere. IDA was created in 1960 when the model of aid was one of a small number of rich countries giving to many poor countries. Today many low-income countries are on the cusp of graduating from IDA eligibility. By 2025, IDA-eligible countries will be half as large in number and one-third as large in population; they will also be almost exclusively African and much lower performing economically. The Future of IDA Working Group explores the options available to IDA, from small tweaks to the status quo to bold alternatives for the future.