#ClimateChange: EIB president speaks about tackling global challenges of climate change, sustainable development and forced migration

Speaking ahead of the IMF/World Bank Group meetings in Washington, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Werner Hoyer commented: "The EIB, as the EU’s bank, has a vital role to play in partnership with others in tackling the global challenges facing us today."

Hoyer added: "The world’s challenges are beyond the capacity of any single institution. The EIB seeks partners and is a partner. Alongside other Multilateral Development Banks and National Promotional Banks, we can achieve even more to improve the lives of people around the world.”

The 2016 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will take place in Washington DC from 15-17 April (USA). 

The EIB delegation to the World Bank Group/IMF Spring Meetings will join government leaders and officials, international financial institutions and civil society groups in addressing the challenges of climate action, sustainable growth and the current refugee crisis.

Hoyer also spoke about the importance of the EIB and its appeal for public and private sectors in crowding investments. He said: "We can catalyse and attract private funds to projects which are in the public - and the global interest. We can help to convert the crucial agreements of 2015 on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals into reality, both in Europe and outside; we can support the international community’s response to the current refugee crisis and the challenge of migration; furthermore we are committed to sharing our experience and expertise to help bridge the global infrastructure gap - as we are doing on an unprecedented scale for example in Europe through the European Fund for Strategic Investments in the context of the Investment Plan for Europe."

"There is an ongoing shift in the financing of development policies from grants and budget funds to financial instruments, which the EIB strongly supports. This is aimed at maximising impact through the most efficient possible use of public funds as well as the increased mobilisation of public and private investment in order to accelerate the implementation of our Sustainable Development Goals. The EIB’s expertise and experience means we are well placed in this respect. But no single bank or institution can do this alone. This is why partnerships with MDBs and public and private sector institutions and companies are so crucial" Hoyer added.

More information

• For updates on the EIB’s agenda, projects, news and videos during the Spring Meetings, click on the 'Tackling Global Challenges Together' page 
• For the European Strategic Fund for Investments, click here 
• For the EIB’s Climate Strategy, click here

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