The Netherlands is a founding member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development — the World Bank — and was one of the first countries to receive a World Bank loan after the Second World War. These initial loans helped to rebuild the economy, modernize and expand the Royal Dutch Airlines fleet, and replenish the working capital of the Dutch Reconstruction Bank (Herstelbank).

Today, the Netherlands is a member of all five institutions that form the World Bank Group. The Netherlands is an important shareholder and partner for the World Bank Group, and works with other member governments to finance projects, design policies, and deliver programs to eradicate poverty in the developing world.

The Dutch Finance Minister represents the Netherlands on the World Bank Board of Governors, the Bank’s senior decision-making body.  The Governor delegates responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day business of the Netherlands’ interests at the Bank to the Executive Director (ED) for the Netherlands.

The Netherlands desk at the World Bank Brussels office serves as an entry point for stakeholders in the Netherlands wishing to contact World Bank staff across the world, access information, and it responds to media queries. It also seeks to increase opportunities for collaboration between the Netherlands and the World Bank Group through co-financing, trust funds, and joint analytical work in sectors and regions of mutual interest.

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