The World Bank In Denmark

Denmark became a member of the International Bank
for Reconstruction and Development — the World Bank — on March 30, 1946. It was among the first countries to get a loan to help rebuild its economy after the Second World War. Today, Denmark is a member of the five institutions that form the World Bank Group. Denmark and the World Bank work with other member governments to finance projects, design policies, and deliver programs to end poverty in the developing world. 

The Nordic desk at the World Bank Paris office works to promote consensus around the international development agenda and build a platform for collaboration between the World Bank Group and Denmark. It does this by promoting better understanding of the World Bank Group’s mission and activities and by building relationships with key stakeholders such as government, legislators, civil society organizations, the private sector, academia, and the media.

It also supports outreach activities, often in collaboration with Danish partners, such as organizing and supporting conferences, seminars, and other events on development-related topics. The office serves as an entry point for groups in Denmark wishing to contact World Bank staff across the world or access the plethora of information the Bank publishes, and it responds to media queries. It also seeks to increase opportunities for collaboration between Denmark and the World Bank Group through co-financing, trust funds, and joint analytical work in sectors and regions of mutual interest.

Denmark hosts the Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement (JDC). The JDC is a partnership between the World Bank and UNHCR, pooling resources and capacities to transform the data landscape on forced displacement. Denmark also hosts the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS). ICARS partners with low- and middle-income countries to reduce drug-resistant infections.

World Bank Governor

Minister for Development Cooperation, H.E. Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy, represents Denmark on the World Bank Board of Governors, the Bank’s senior decision-making body. The Governors, usually Ministers of Finance or Development, meet twice a year. They have the power to admit and suspend members of the World Bank Group, increase or decrease the authorized capital stock, determine the distribution of the net income of the Bank, and decide on the World Bank Group’s overall strategic direction. Non-political State Secretary for Development Policy, Ms. Lotte Machon, serves as Denmark’s Alternate Governor.

World Bank Executive Director

The Governor Delegates responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day business of Denmark’s interests at the Bank to the Executive Director (ED) for Denmark. EDs reside in Washington and normally meet twice a week to decide on borrowing and financial questions, projects, and policies that impact World Bank Group general operations. Denmark’s representation on the boards of IBRD, IFC and MIGA is shared with Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. Lene Lind (Norway) is the ED representing the Nordic-Baltic constituency on the 25-member World Bank Board of Executive Directors, and Jón Erlingur Jónasson (Iceland) is the Alternate Executive Director.

Shares and Voting Power

The World Bank Group has a weighted system of voting. All members of the Bank receive votes consisting of share votes (one vote for each share of the Bank's capital stock held by the member) plus basic votes (calculated so that the sum of all basic votes is equal to 5.55% of the sum of basic votes and share votes for all members). The voting power distribution differs from agency to agency within the World Bank Group.

For the latest voting status, please visit the Voting Powers page.

Last Updated: Jan 31, 2024