A coalition of more than 60 donor and borrower governments agreed to ratchet up the fight against extreme poverty with a record $75 billion commitment for the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries.

"This is a pivotal step in the movement to end extreme poverty," World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. "The commitments made by our partners, combined with IDA’s innovations to crowd in the private sector and raise funds from capital markets, will transform the development trajectory of the world’s poorest countries. We are grateful for our partners’ trust in IDA’s ability to deliver results."

The funding will enable IDA to dramatically scale up development interventions to tackle conflict, fragility and violence, forced displacement, climate change, and gender inequality; and promote governance and institution building, as well as jobs and economic transformation areas of special focus over the next three years. These efforts are underpinned by an overarching commitment to invest in growth, resilience and opportunity.

"With this innovative package, the world’s poorest countries – especially the most fragile and vulnerable – will get the support they need to grow, create opportunities for people, and make themselves more resilient to shocks and crises," said Kyle Peters, World Bank Group Interim Managing Director and Co-Chair of the IDA18 negotiations. "IDA’s focus on issues like climate change, gender equality and preventing conflict and violence will also contribute to greater stability and progress around the world."

Financing during the IDA18 replenishment period, which runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2020, is expected to support: Essential health and nutrition services for up to 400 million people Access to improved water sources for up to 45 million people Financial services for 4-6 million people Safe childbirth for up to 11 million women through provision of skilled health personnel Training for 9-10 million teachers to benefit 300+ million children Immunizations for 130-180 million children Better governance in 30 countries through improved statistical capacity An additional 5 GW of renewable energy generation capacity "IDA is writing a whole new chapter in the story of development," said Dede Ekoue, IDA18 co-chair and Togo’s former Minister of Development. "Together with donors, working hand-in-hand with borrower governments, we are putting forward an innovative, ambitious and responsive package of support that gives hope to the poorest. These interventions will help transform the lives of billions of people living in IDA countries."

A total of 48 countries pledged resources to IDA; additional countries are expected to pledge in the near-term. The World Bank Group is continuing the tradition of contributing its own resources to IDA.

A total of 75 low-income countries are eligible to benefit from the IDA18 financing package.