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Add to Preferred SourcesEleven multilateral development banks (MDBs) have agreed to collaborate on a shared approach to measuring the impact of their operations on job creation, according to a press release issued on April 16, 2026, in Washington by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). The agreement brings together institutions across regions to deepen coordination on how employment outcomes are tracked and reported. The effort marks a collective step toward more consistent measurement of jobs created through MDB-financed operations.
The eleven participating institutions are the African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB), Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), New Development Bank (NDB), and World Bank Group (WBG). Together, they represent a wide geographic and institutional range. Their joint commitment reflects a recognized need for a unified framework spanning diverse operating contexts.
The MDBs stated that their work will be iterative and refined based on lessons learned, individual mandates, and latest best practice. Coordination will extend across countries, the private sector, and other stakeholders. The process will also be informed by dialogue with stakeholders, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), to ensure that discussions reflect the quality of jobs created.
The banks identified job quality as an essential dimension of the effort, alongside the number of jobs supported. Their stated goal is to advance collective understanding of the best pathways for job creation and workers’ earnings in each region and context. The collaboration is expected to help support better policy dialogue and stronger project design to deliver more and better jobs.
According to the joint announcement, creating more and better jobs lifts households out of poverty, improves social cohesion, and reduces vulnerability. The MDBs noted that their shared approach will help drive growth and improve livelihoods in their countries of operation. The agreement positions the participating institutions to align their measurement practices across regions going forward.