On July 7, 1950, three years after °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð became the 41st member of the World Bank, the Bank¡¯s Board approved its first loan to the country. The $3.9 million Grain Storage Project was aimed at enhancing °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð's agricultural infrastructure by constructing modern grain storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses, improve grain quality, and stabilize market prices, with the overall goal of ensuring food security for °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s people.
Thus began an enduring partnership rooted in shared goals of promoting development and enhancing prosperity in °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð.
°Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s development journey since 1950 has been remarkable. At the time of the first loan, the country¡¯s income per capita was $166. In fact, within months of becoming a member of the World Bank¡¯s International Development Association, °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð was deemed eligible for concessional financing. Between 1962 and 1966, °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð received only IDA funding, with little to no interest, providing the country with an opportunity to access vital resources for growth and stability. The country¡¯s economic progress enabled it to graduate from IDA in 1973, and about 15 years later, °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð became an IDA donor, helping low and lower-middle-income countries finance their critical development needs.
Today, as an upper middle-income country, °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð boasts an income per capita of $15,463.
ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº has been a steadfast partner in °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s development journey, supporting the country in times of crises, such the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, and in times of tragedy, including the devastating earthquakes of 2023 and 1999. And we remain committed to supporting °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s continued progress in the years to come. With operations under implementation of more than $16 billion, and growing, the World Bank¡¯s program in °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð is designed to guide the nation¡¯s transition to high-income status by focusing on boosting productivity, creating jobs, improving public service delivery, and building resilience against natural disasters.
Explore the impact our partnership with the country has had over 75 years with this immersive story and our .