About GICT

Who We Are

The Global Information and Communication Technologies Department (GICT) is a joint department of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Bringing together IFC's experience in private sector investment transactions and the World Bank's expertise in policy and regulatory matters, GICT promotes access to information and communication technologies in developing countries.

Working with both the public and private sectors, GICT serves as the World Bank Group's core department for research, policy, investments and other programs related to ICTs in developing countries. GICT provides governments, private companies, and civil society organizations with the expertise and capital needed to develop and apply ICTs to reduce poverty and foster development.

GICT also helps to coordinate the World Bank Group's relations and partnerships with other donors, international organizations and non-government organizations in the area of ICT for development. This includes close working relationships with a number of regional telecommunications associations and United Nations agencies such as the International Telecommunications Union.

Information for Development Program (infoDev)

infoDev is a multi-agency partnership coordinated and served by an expert Secretariat housed at the World Bank, one of its principal donors and founders. The mandate of infoDev is to help developing countries and their international partners maximize the impact of ICT on development and poverty reduction, with a particular focus on increasing access to information infrastructure, applications and services, and supporting private sector ICT innovators and entrepreneurs.

infoDev supports the work of bilateral and multilateral agencies (including UNESCO, the World Bank, the European Commission, and the International Telecommunication Union), and provides cutting-edge research and analysis, supports innovative pilot projects, and produces toolkits designed to help development leaders turn knowledge into action.

infoDev also acts as a neutral convener and coordinator for dialogue and joint action by agencies working on ICT for development. As a small, flexible organization, infoDev is able to develop unique partnerships with private sector and nongovernmental organizations-key innovators in the field of ICT-and stay abreast of the rapid advancements in the ICT sector, sharing the knowledge and experienced gained with the partner agencies for use in ICT program design.

infoDev provides technical and financial support at various levels, helping development leaders improve regulatory and policy frameworks: increase capacity for design, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of ICT programs and project;, and scale up successful pilot projects to increase their impact and sustainability.

World Bank Group's Engagement in ICT

The World Bank Group is the largest multi-lateral financier and provider of policy advice in the field of ICT in developing countries. Over the past five years, the World Bank Group has provided more than US$3 billion of funding in over 80 countries through its three financing arms; the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD or World Bank), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA):

• World Bank has supported reforms in over 80 client governments and provided approximately US$750 million in loans for ICT related projects. This support is in addition to lending projects in other sectors-such as health, education, trade, and finance- which have ICT components. It is estimated that US$1 billion to 1.5 billion in lending is provided to these projects annually. Trust funds administered by the IBRD have contributed an additional US$50 million to the ICT sector in the past five years.
• IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group provided approximately US$1.5 billion in financing to ICT companies in developing countries. Additionally, through its syndicated loan program, the IFC offers commercial banks and other financial institutions the chance to lend to IFC-financed projects that they might not otherwise consider. These loans have contributed another US$1 billion toward the sector.
• MIGA, as an agency that provides political risk insurance to foreign investments in developing countries, has supplied an additional US$700 million to the ICT sector through private investment guarantees. ICT is one of the best performing sectors in the World Bank Group's portfolio, both in terms of returns and development impact.

ICT is one of the best performing sectors in the World Bank Group’s portfolio, both in terms of returns and development impact.