Resource information
This evaluation assesses the outcomes of
World Bank Group’s (WBG’s) development support to the West
Bank and Gaza for the period 2001-09. It covers the programs
of the World Bank - International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD), International Development
Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC),
and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The
main objectives of the WBG program were broad, reflecting
the extremely volatile political situation, characterized by
frequent humanitarian and economic crises that required
abrupt shifts in the Bank’s strategy. The WB is both the
main economic adviser to the Quartet on the Middle East and
the administrator of large donor trust funds. The WBG made
important contributions in identifying obstacles to
development, estimating their costs, and promoting the
search for reasonable compromises. The Bank Group program
needs to recognize that the long-term development
effectiveness of its support is heavily dependent on the
Israeli-Palestinian political framework, as well as close
alignment of its efforts with those of other donors. Other
specific recommendations of this evaluation include:
developing a medium-term strategy with a focused results
framework; exploring opportunities for closer cooperation
with Arab donors; helping the Palestinian Authority (PA) to
develop a long-term strategy to reduce aid dependence; and
identifying opportunities for Israeli-Palestinian
cooperation on different aspects of development.
