The five multilateral development banks (MDBs) were designed to operate in a far different environment than the one that prevails today with the end of the Cold War and explosion of private-sector financial flows to emerging markets. The broad-based CSIS Task Force on the MDBs looked at criticisms of the banks' operations and the extent to which the institutions responded. The task force report provides extensive recommendations for refocusing MDB priorities and reforming their operating practices. Among the topics covered in the task force's analysis and recommendations: