Trends and disruptors in multilateral finance

Running order:

00:00 – Sara Pantuliano (ODI) – introductory remarks and welcome to speakers

05:46 – Sir Danny Alexander (AIIB) – on the origins of the AIIB and the reasons behind its establishment; the lessons drawn from the first six years of the AIIB’s operations; the main innovations adopted by the AIIB (non-resident board and the bank’s business model/core values)

17:45 – Sir Danny Alexander (AIIB) – on the future direction of the AIIB (climate finance; cross-border connectivity); dealing with the pandemic and other crises (Russia-Ukraine war; food and fuel price shocks)

25:09 – Sir Suma Chakrabarti (ODI) – on the EBRD’s support at the very early stages of the AIIB: the need for MDB reform; the AIIB’s innovations; the challenges the AIIB faces

35:53 – Annalisa Prizzon (ODI) – on the challenges that might lie ahead for the AIIB to deliver on its mandate and be an effective institution without country offices; the changes needed to deliver a low-carbon transition

41:00 – Sir Danny Alexander (AIIB) – on the steps the AIIB has taken to involve independent members; whether the AIIB sees itself as a player in the MDB system; the AIIB’s climate survey and common ground with ODI’s research; the work the AIIB needs to do to make itself better understood

50:09 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – What is the mechanism for the AIIB’s external accountability?

51:29 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – Why does the poor standard of governance in beneficiary countries fail to get on the agendas of MDB board meetings?

52:43 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – Should the AIIB be more ambitious with its financial commitments?

53:59 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – How can cooperation be further improved among MDBs to accelerate joint financing of investment projects?

54:37 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – Does the flexibility in the AIIB’s mandate mean the bank will expand its policy scope to include other domains in the future?

55:50 – Q&A session (Sir Danny Alexander) – Does the AIIB have any plans to establish a permanent concessional lending facility?

56:42 – Q&A session (Sir Suma Chakrabarti) – Why does the poor standard of governance in beneficiary countries fail to get on the agendas of MDB board meetings?

58:03 – Q&A session (Sir Suma Chakrabarti) – How can cooperation be further improved among MDBs to accelerate joint financing of investment projects?

59:00 – Q&A session (Sir Suma Chakrabarti) – How can ‘country capture’ be avoided when it comes to country offices?

01:00:40 – Annalisa Prizzon (ODI) – on the importance of not losing momentum on MDB reform

01:01:26 – Sara Pantuliano (ODI) – closing remarks