 Because it views information-sharing as essential for effective and sustainable development, the World Bank regularly makes information widely available about its activities including its loans and other financing operations, strategies and policies, advisory services, effectiveness of projects and programs, and research findings and other knowledge. Communication with the public occurs not only through the Bank's publication of annual reports, research findings, speeches, articles, reviews, opinion pieces, and - increasingly -- electronic newsletters and web sites (for example, this one!), but also through its interactions with the world's print and broadcast media.  The focal point for media interactions is a core group of external affairs officers in each Bank vice-presidential unit and country office, as well as in IFC's Corporate Relations unit and MIGA's External Affairs unit. Under the overall guidance of the Media Relations Division in the Bank's External Affairs Vice-Presidency, these officers connect interested media representatives with the institution's staff member(s) relevant to their specific query or issue. To facilitate this, the Bank maintains a roster of in-house experts able to respond to media and other public inquiries.
Accredited journalists can register with the Online Media Briefing Centre (OMBC), a password-protected site where they can receive advance access to Bank news and pose questions through online press conferences. Non-journalists who wish to be informed when new information is released can subscribe to any of the Bank's two dozen free email newsletters. The Bank publishes a daily webzine of news and events about the Bank and its work. This publication, accessible to anyone with an Internet connection, carries clips from the world's press about development issues. It also features Issues Briefs on topical themes. The Information Disclosure Policy was revised and enhanced in January 2002 to bring even greater transparency and accountability to the Bank's support for the development process; this will, over time, enable more access to information from Bank offices in developing countries. There is a Portuguese version of the new disclosure policy. The Bank Group's affiliated bodies are similarly open about their operations. The International Finance Corporation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency have each articulated their own public disclosure policies which reflect their need to respect their stakeholders' proprietary or commercially sensitive information within a broad framework of transparency and accountability. Our media teams based in Paris, phone +33 140 69 30 28, London phone + 44 207 930 8511 and Washington, phone +1 202 473 7660, can help you arrange interviews and assist you with the background research that you may require for your articles or broadcasts. |
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