Germany has been a member of the World Bank Group since 1952. It is the fourth largest shareholder following the United States, Japan, and China. As the German Governor, the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development represents the Federal Republic of Germany in the World Bank. The Alternate Governor for Germany is the Secretary of State for international finance from the Federal Ministry of Finance. All 189 Governors meet every spring and fall for the IMF and World Bank Spring and Annual Meetings. The Development Committee, composed of 25 Governors, assembles every year in fall and spring.
The daily business is carried out on behalf of the Governors by 25 Directors of the Executive Boards. The Executive Director for Germany is appointed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, while the Federal Ministry of Finance appoints the Alternate Executive Director.
See a detailed description of the organization and governance of the World Bank Group.
Further information on Germany’s development policy is available on the English homepage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
See also the English website of the Federal Government of Germany.
Parliamentarians
There is an international network of parliamentarians dealing with World Bank issues and an informal "World Bank Circle of Friends" in the German Bundestag. The German Executive Director's Office regularly receives members of the German Bundestag at the World Bank and parliamentarians are regularly members of the German delegation for the annual meetings.
Companies
The World Bank Group offers German companies various cooperation and business opportunities. They can participate in tenders of the World Bank Group, benefit from financing through the International Finance Corporation or guarantees of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
Civil Society
The German Executive Director's Office cooperates closely with German and international non-governmental organizations. In Germany, Urgewald in particular systematically deals with the World Bank Group and participates in civil society meetings at the World Bank's Spring and Annual Meetings. Regular exchanges also take place with the Bank Information Center and Accountability Counsel in Washington D.C.. There is cooperation with other organisations on specific occasions.
Regular meetings are held with the US representatives of German political foundations on the occasion of the World Bank's Spring and Annual Meetings.
Journalists
For journalists based in Washington D.C., the German Executive Director's Office offers regular background discussions on the occasion of the World Bank's Spring and Annual Meetings.
Scientists
For scientists, the World Bank Group offers comprehensive and publicly accessible data on many countries of the world, including world development indicators and other data sets. In addition, the World Bank, as a knowledge bank with a large science department, produces countless publications and papers.
Job seekers
By exerting influence on high-ranking personnel decisions and helping to shape personnel policy, the German Executive Director is actively committed to increasing the proportion of German personnel in the World Bank Group.
In addition, the Office of the German Executive Director supports interests and applicants for positions in the World Bank Group by providing advice and contacts. In addition, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development promotes the recruitment of German junior staff, in particular through the Junior Professional Officers (JPO) Programme. Young professionals are employed in the World Bank Group for two to three years, financed by the Federal Government, and thus receive a very good starting position for a follow-up contract.
