Which institution is primarily responsible for funding postwar reconstruction projects?

• A. IMF
• B. IBRD
• C. GATT
• D. WTO

Answer: (B)

Postwar reconstruction demands substantial, long-term capital for rebuilding infrastructure, housing, and industry. The IBRD, created at Bretton Woods to fund reconstruction and development, provided these long-term loans to war-torn regions, notably helping Europe rebuild and setting the stage for future growth. The IMF’s role is to stabilize currencies and balance of payments in the short term, not to finance large projects, while GATT and WTO focus on trade rules rather than lending for reconstruction. Therefore, the institution primarily responsible for funding postwar reconstruction is the IBRD.