IDA in retrospect

The International Development Association (IDA), an integral part of the World Bank, has been for more than twenty years an important channel for aid to low-income developing countries. Its work complements that of its sister institution, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. But unlike the Bank, which relies principally on private capital markets, IDA is funded entirely by grants from member governments. The Association became an outstanding example of multilateral cooperation to promote long-term development.