Accountability makes development banks more effective Armand NzeyimanaIbrahima Dit Thierno LoLisandro Martin October 20, 2026 This page in: English العربية

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/arabvoices/accountability-makes-development-banks-more-effective Every dollar entrusted to a development bank carries an obligation to improve lives and demonstrate that it has. The evidence that allows the public to hold us accountable must also guide the decisions that make us effective. The stakes are rising. The OECD reports that official development assistance dropped by 23% in 2025, its largest recorded fall, with a further decline projected for 2026. Countries face mounting pressure on development finance, and every allocation carries a greater opportunity cost. Public confidence depends on a credible answer to a direct question: what difference does our work make?