Brookings, Co-Develop Push for Efficient MDB Financing in Digital Infrastru

Published Date : 10/17/2025 

Brookings and Co-Develop are advocating for a fundamental shift in how multilateral development banks (MDBs) finance digital public infrastructure (DPI). Their goal is to promote reuse, interoperability, and continuous development of digital assets, which can significantly enhance inclusion and efficiency. 

As governments increasingly invest in digital public infrastructure (DPI), a new policy discussion led by Brookings and Co-Develop is calling for a fundamental rethink of how multilateral development banks (MDBs) finance digital systems. The goal is to unlock the full potential of digital assets through reuse, interoperability, and continuous development.

Unlike traditional infrastructure, digital assets — such as software, datasets, and protocols — scale efficiently. Once built, a single codebase or dataset can serve millions at near-zero marginal cost, with each new user lowering average costs and strengthening network effects. For governments, this “reuse dividend” offers a unique chance to advance inclusion and efficiency, Brookings and Co-Develop argue.

However, MDB financing remains rooted in models designed for physical infrastructure, which is capital-intensive, siloed, and hard to iterate. Digital systems are still treated as bespoke solutions for individual ministries, rarely reused across agencies or borders.

To address this, Brookings’ Center for Sustainable Development and Co-Develop convened a roundtable with global stakeholders to explore how MDBs can better support digital infrastructure reuse without compromising national sovereignty.

Participants identified key priorities: shifting incentives to reward shared platforms over narrow mandates, and restructuring MDB loans to encourage cross-sector collaboration. They stressed the need for clearer procurement models, interoperable APIs, permissive licensing, and vendor agreements that contribute back to shared codebases. Harmonizing global safeguards can also help assess technical compliance and real-world impact.

Agile deployment was another focus. Prototyping sandboxes, pre-vetted vendor marketplaces, and use-case-specific building blocks — such as agriculture data protocols — can reduce costs and improve delivery. Ethiopia’s digital ID rollout, supported by the World Bank, was cited as a successful example of cross-sector collaboration.

Participants also emphasized the importance of ongoing system maintenance. They urged MDBs to fund operational expenses and adopt commercial best practices like continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD). Results-based financing (RBF), piloted in Jordan, was highlighted as a promising model linking disbursements to performance metrics and inclusive governance.

The roundtable concluded with three strategic proposals to accelerate global DPI reuse: codifying common loan eligibility criteria to promote interoperability and accountability; strengthening MDB–government collaboration to support integrated investment strategies; and focusing reform efforts on shared global goals, such as scaling digital cash transfers to combat poverty.

Success in this domain could inspire similar reuse-driven approaches to health, food systems, and climate resilience — redefining MDBs as curators of global public goods. Realizing the reuse dividend will require a coordinated shift from bespoke digital projects to shared, adaptable infrastructure across ministries and borders, the meeting concluded. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is digital public infrastructure (DPI)?

A: Digital public infrastructure (DPI) refers to the digital systems and assets, such as software, datasets, and protocols, that are used to deliver public services and enhance government efficiency.

Q: Why is Brookings and Co-Develop advocating for a change in MDB financing?

A: Brookings and Co-Develop are advocating for a change in MDB financing to promote the reuse, interoperability, and continuous development of digital assets, which can significantly enhance inclusion and efficiency in government services.

Q: What are the key priorities identified by the roundtable participants?

A: The key priorities identified by the roundtable participants include shifting incentives to reward shared platforms, restructuring MDB loans to encourage cross-sector collaboration, and adopting clearer procurement models and interoperable APIs.

Q: What is the 'reuse dividend' mentioned in the article?

A: The 'reuse dividend' refers to the unique opportunity to advance inclusion and efficiency by reusing digital assets, such as software and datasets, across different agencies and borders, which can lower costs and strengthen network effects.

Q: What are some successful examples of cross-sector collaboration in digital infrastructure?

A: Ethiopia’s digital ID rollout, supported by the World Bank, is cited as a successful example of cross-sector collaboration in digital infrastructure, demonstrating how shared platforms can reduce costs and improve delivery. 

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