Updating MDB financing for digital infrastructure re-use

In a world of constrained development finance and intense fiscal pressures, low- and middle-income countries cannot afford to waste scarce resources on duplicative digital systems. In this context, multilateral development banks (MDBs), governments, and partner institutions face a time-sensitive need and opportunity to reimagine digital infrastructure investment strategies and implementation.

On October 16, on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank and IMF annual meetings, the Brookings Center for Sustainable Development and Co-Develop hosted a panel discussion on updating MDB financing for digital infrastructure re-use. Building on a recent Brookings–Co-Develop roundtable and publication, the session explored practical ways to unlock the “re-use dividend.” The speakers and panelists addressed questions such as how major institutions can finance digital transformation in more efficient ways that improve access for all countries and communities, and what innovations development partners can commit to as multilateral institutions rethink how they support countries.