The AIIB - A multilateral bank like any other?

The China-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) began operations in 2016 and quickly became a major player in global finance. By the end of 2020, the AIIB had 103 approved member countries. In two in-depth studies, we examine the governance of this new-type infrastructure bank. The AIIB plays an important role in China's efforts to shape a new form of multilateralism in which it sets the rules.

Current

The Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Study

The business of the AIIB is the financing of large infrastructure projects such as power plants, dams and transport routes. Such investments are inherently associated with high environmental and social risks, as well as corruption and high levels of debt. This study provides an overview of the institution's close alignment with China and its transparency and information disclosure rules.

The AIIB Fails on Public Access to Information

Background

Starting from October 2021, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will begin using a newly revised but still problematic environmental and social framework. This framework contains the right words and appears to tick all the boxes, but it includes too many loopholes and caveats that undermine early disclosure of environmental and social risks.

By Korinna Horta and Wawa Wang

The AIIB’s Transparency Deficit

Analysis

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral bank for infrastructure financing and plans to become the leading global institution for financing infrastructure projects. This article shows why the bank must intensify its efforts to inform the public in a timely manner about the environmental and social risks of its projects.

By Korinna Horta and Wawa Wang

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): A Multilateral Bank Where China Sets the Rules

In the last years, a number of countries decided to join the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which has developed into a major player in the global financial architecture in record time. Korinna Horta's analysis of the situation regarding the respective standards after three years of AIIB in operation is very sobering.

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