Since the mid-1990s, 86 middle-income countries (MICs), defined as having GDP per capital ranging from $1000 to $6000, have borrowed the total of $163 billion and their average real incomes grew by 4 percent a year. Given their new wealth should the bank continue lending to them or focus exclusively on low-income countries?
The Internal Evaluation Group's new report evaluates the effectiveness of bank's programs to MICs from 1995 to 2006 and recommends the way forward. The two key recommendations are: continue lending but depart from business as usual.
See also what The Economist wrote about the group of countries that despite the impressive growth are still home to over one-third of the world's poor.
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