| The Program has the following topics:
Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism
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In recent years, worldwide efforts to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism have assumed heightened importance. Money laundering and the financing of terrorism are global problems that not only threaten security, but also compromise the stability, transparency, and efficiency of financial systems, thus undermining economic prosperity. View more information on the AML/CFT Website... Return to top
Banking Systems The two principal goals of the World Bank on banking systems are: The World Bank focuses on strengthening banking systems because in many cases they are fragile, often due to a variety of factors including insufficient capital, limited institutional capacity, inordinate risk-taking, poor laws and regulations, and ineffective bank supervision. Our efforts to promote the growth and development of banks is intended to encourage the provision of a broader array of products and services by the industry so as to support the corresponding growth and development of the economy, and to expand the reach of banks to broader customers segments, including the middle and lower classes, small- and medium-size enterprises, and rural markets. Return to top
 Capital Markets  The development and regulation of capital markets, such as stock and bond markets, have become a critical issue in the past ten years, as an emerging middle class in many developing countries creates growing demand for property ownership, small-scale investment, and savings for retirement. Capital markets offer individuals and small- and medium-scale enterprises a broader menu of financial services and tailored financial instruments—government debt, housing finance, and other securities. A competitive, diversified financial sector, in turn, broadens access and increases stability. The World Bank offers training in the following areas: policy; regulation and supervision; institutional framework and infrastructure; bond market development; and housing finance. Return to top
Financial Sector Assessment Program The international financial turmoil of the second half of the 1990s provoked much concern about that stability of the global financial system. As a response to this, the joint World Bank and International Monetary Fund Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) was established in May 1999. The FSAP identifies country vulnerabilities and key priorities for financial sector development. It provides national authorities with a strategic framework within which to undertake financial sector strengthening. So far, more than seventy countries have completed the first round of FSAPs with technical assistance from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. More countries have shown interest in doing the FSAP and developing their own capacity to continue monitoring and analyzing their financial performance. Return to top
Financial Sector Policy Ensuring robust financial sector development with the minimum of crises is essential for growth and poverty reduction. Globalization poses new challenges to the design of the financial sector, potentially replacing domestic with international providers of some of these services, and limiting the role that government can play—while making their remaining tasks more difficult. The importance of getting financial policy decisions right has emerged as one of the central development challenges of the new century. The World Bank policy efforts seeks to provide a coherent approach to financial sector design. Return to top
Insurance and Contractual Savings Through its activities, the World Bank seeks to help strengthen regulation and supervision, structure appropriate tax treatment, strengthen corporate governance, privatize non bank financial institutions, design pensions systems, transfer industrial country risk management technology to client countries and meld microfinance and insurance technology for crop insurance. Return to top
Microfinance, Small and Medium Enterprise, and Payment Systems Many of the World Bank Group’s client governments place a high priority on developing their indigenous private sector to participate in and lead future growth. The challenge is to build capacity in the financial sector drawing on lessons from international best practices in micro, small enterprise and rural finance.  The objective of the World Bank group’s strategy is to increase access to financial services and low-income households by addressing three principal areas: - Innovative approaches: leasing, lending and other products to increase access of small- and medium-size enterprises to financial services.
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Trade Finance The Trade Finance program is designed to facilitate trade and deepen the impact of development in developing and transition countries. The aim is to enhance access to finance for export trade through public and private institutions by application of risk mitigation mechanisms that target small and medium enterprises operating in risk perceived economies. Emphasis is placed on export credit insurance and political risk insurance for trade in target countries. Links to partners and donors involved in Trade Finance: Return to top  |
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