U.K. Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel presented a laundry list of demands to the World Bank on Friday: less competition between financial institutions, more accountability and riskier investments in poor and conflict states.
Patel followed the demands by renewing her pledge to use the U.K.’s influence over international aid and trade to “drive reform in the international development system” in an address to annual meeting participants at the bank’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“Boosting global prosperity by creating jobs, investment and trade in countries where they are desperately needed is firmly in the U.K.’s interests,” Patel said in a speech at the World Bank. “That is why we are using our position in the Bank to push for significant reforms that work for Britain and the world’s poorest.”
About the author
Molly Andersmollyanders_dev
Molly Anders is a former U.K. correspondent for Devex. Based in London, she reports on development finance trends with a focus on British and European institutions. She is especially interested in evidence-based development and women’s economic empowerment, as well as innovative financing for the protection of migrants and refugees. Molly is a former Fulbright Scholar and studied Arabic in Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco.
