2004 Annual Review of Development Effectiveness: The World Bank's Contributions to Poverty Reduction (Independent Evaluation Group Studies)

Annotation The '2004 Annual Review of Development Effectiveness' looks at the recent growth and poverty reduction experience of client countries. It assesses the extent to which Bank interventions have contributed to growth and poverty reduction and the effectiveness of different types of interventions. The review uses the key elements of the Bank's 2001 poverty reduction strategy to examine the extent to which these elements respond to the needs of the poor, are actually being carried out, and are having an impact The central mandate and corporate mission of the World Bank is to fight poverty. Toward this end, the Bank provides finance, knowledge, and advice to borrowing member countries, while attempting to tailor the particular mix of these instruments to the challenges facing each country. The Bank also helps to address global and regional issues, such as environmental threats and communicable diseases, but its primary focus remains at the country level - helping people to lift themselves out of poverty At head of title: World Bank Operations Evaluation Department.