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The Political Economy of International Finance Corporation Lending

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  • Axel Dreher
  • Valentin Lang
  • Katharina Richert

Abstract

Much of the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) lending benefits private companies from rich countries and supports projects in middle-income countries. Large corporations such as Lidl or Mövenpick have received its loans for highly profitable investments. This contrasts to some extent with the IFC’s official mandate, which is to finance poverty-reducing projects for which private capital is not available on reasonable terms. Investigating a potential driver of this mismatch, we argue that some governments can influence the allocation of IFC loans to the benefit of private companies in their countries. Using new data for more than 3,000 IFC projects over the 1995-2015 period we show that (joint) IFC Board membership of countries where borrowing companies are based and of countries where the projects are implemented increases the likelihood that these countries receive IFC loans. This has implications for the debate on leveraging private-sector investments for development.

Suggested Citation

  • Axel Dreher & Valentin Lang & Katharina Richert, 2017. "The Political Economy of International Finance Corporation Lending," CESifo Working Paper Series 6661, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_6661
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    3. Dreher, Axel & Lang, Valentin F. & Richert, Katharina, 2019. "The political economy of International Finance Corporation lending," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 242-254.
    4. McHugh, Christopher A., 2023. "Competitive conditions in development finance," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. McLean, Elena V., 2023. "Looking for advice: The politics of consulting services procurement in the World Bank," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    6. Beni Kouevi Gath, 2021. "Credit Information Sharing and Bank Stability: Evidence from SSA Countries," Working Papers CEB 21-009, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    7. Boehm, Hannes & Eichler, Stefan & Giessler, Stefan, 2021. "What drives the commodity-sovereign risk dependence in emerging market economies?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    8. Cole,Shawn Allen & Melecky,Martin & Molders,Florian & Reed,Tristan, 2020. "Long-run Returns to Impact Investing in Emerging Market and Developing Economies," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9366, The World Bank.
    9. Angelika J. Budjan & Andreas Fuchs, 2021. "Democracy and Aid Donorship," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 217-238, November.
    10. Kaplan, Lennart, 2020. "Systemic challenges and opportunities of Franco-German development cooperation," IDOS Discussion Papers 10/2020, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    11. World Bank, 2020. "Violence without Borders," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 33330, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international finance; international bureaucracies; political economy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F53 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Agreements and Observance; International Organizations
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • F35 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Aid

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