Mission

With the support of Development Partners, the Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services (FIAS) supports projects and programs implemented by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) that aim to develop dynamic and resilient economies that promote economic inclusion through investment, innovation, job-creation, and higher productivity. Efforts to increase the competitiveness of developing country economies support their increased participation in international markets, produce better jobs, and contribute to the World Bank Group’s overarching Twin Goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

Through the FIAS program, IFC and the Development Partners facilitate investment climate reforms in developing countries to foster open, productive, and competitive markets and to unlock sustainable private investment in sectors that contribute to growth and poverty reduction. The FIAS program is managed by the Equitable Growth, Finance & Institutions (EFI) Vice Presidency, a joint IFC-World Bank division of the World Bank Group.

Vision and Purpose

Achieving the World Bank Group’s Twin Goals of eliminating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity means spurring investment and creating jobs in some of the world’s Least Developed Countries, including members of the International Development Association (IDA) as well as fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS), and countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these countries seek the Bank Group’s help in improving their climate for domestic and foreign investment and spurring competition and growth in the economic sectors with the greatest potential. FIAS provides essential donor partner support for IFC advisory and technical assistance projects and programs at the local, national, regional, and global level, with a focus on the most economically challenged countries. Client-facing projects are implemented by IFC Advisory Services teams; global knowledge projects encompass both IFC and World Bank expertise.

With strong development partner support, FIAS is stepping up its mission of sustaining economic growth, increasing productivity, creating jobs, and lifting incomes in developing countries through an integrated suite of financial and advisory services. The focus remains on expanding market opportunities and enabling private initiative across the developing world, particularly for the most vulnerable people. FIAS is building on three decades of experience helping developing client countries create and enhance the climate for investment, promoting trade, and fostering increasingly competitive industries. FIAS supports EFI projects that deliver a wide array of advisory and technical services to clients and leverage all the World Bank Group’s key tools and instruments, enabling FIAS to enhance its private sector development focus.