ABSTRACT
The Inter-American Development Bank is an international financial institution established in 1959 to help accelerate economic and social development in Latin America. When Latin America is more independent and assertive and the United States has greater constraints on its capacity to act and carry out effective policies, the role of the international lending agencies has become far more important than before. One of the Bank's key missions is its role as mobilizer of external capital for Latin America's development. The World Bank Group consists of three international financial institutions: the World Bank itself, and two affiliates, the International Development Association and the International Finance Corporation. The establishment of the International Finance Corporation in 1956 reflected the new emphasis on developing nations. The knowledge and experience that characterize the international banks, in addition to their technical expertise, will be of enormous utility in dealing with the present Latin American crisis.
