Italy became a member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — the World Bank — in 1947. Italy was among the first countries to get a loan to help rebuild its economy after the Second World War. Today, Italy is a member of the five institutions that form the World Bank Group. Italy and the World Bank work with other member governments to finance projects, design policies, and deliver programs to eradicate poverty in the developing world.
Overview
The World Bank’s office in Rome works to promote consensus around the international development agenda and build a platform for collaboration between the World Bank Group and Italy. 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 Italian 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 Italy 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 Italy and the World Bank Group through co-financing, trust funds, and joint analytical work in sectors and regions of mutual interest.
World Bank Governor
Ignazio Visco, the Governor of the Central Bank of Italy, represents Italy 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. The Governors 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. Ms. Gelsomina Vigliotti, head of International Financial Relations, Treasury Department in the Italian Ministry of Finance, serves as Italy’s Alternate Governor.
World Bank Executive Director
The Governor Delegates responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day business of Italy’s interests at the Bank to the Executive Director (ED) for Italy. 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. Italy's Executive Director also represents Albania, Greece, Portugal, San Marino, Timor-Leste, and Malta. Matteo Bugamelli is the current ED for Italy on the 25-member World Bank Board of Executive Directors, and Miguel Coelho of Portugal 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.
For information on Italy’s aid flows as a donor, please visit the Aid Flows Italy (PDF) page.
Last Updated: Nov 13, 2020
LENDING
Italy: Commitments by Fiscal Year (in millions of dollars)*
STAY CONNECTED
Additional Resources
Contacts
Fax: +39 06 777 10 246