THE WORLD BANK JOINS INTERNET2
Bank to Utilize Internet2's High Performance Network for Global Learning Initiative

Washington D.C. and Ann Arbor, MI - May 4, 2005 - Internet2, the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium led by the research and higher education community, today announced that the World Bank has joined Internet2 as an affiliate member. Through its membership, the Bank will connect its headquarters in Washington D.C. to Internet2's high performance Abilene Network. By leveraging Internet2's backbone network and its connections to over 50 global peer networks, the Bank will greatly enhance its collaboration efforts with universities and research institutions in the
U.S. and around the world.

"The World Bank remains focused on providing countries with the training and resources they need to facilitate economic growth," said Mohamed Muhsin, World Bank Vice President and CIO. "Through our partnership with Internet2, the World Bank can now more effectively work with remote countries and provide a richer, more comprehensive learning experience for its global community."

The World Bank's connection to Abilene will permit the existing Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) videoconference network to interconnect with the Internet2 community in the U.S. and to institutions connected to its 50 partner national research and education networks (NRENs) around the world. GDLN centers currently aid the World Bank in providing remote instruction and training workshops via IP videoconferencing.

Both U.S. and international universities working together on projects with the World Bank, such as the GDLN, can now leverage their existing Internet2 or Internet2 partner NREN connections to link with the Bank. At the same time, Internet2 and its partner networks will be able to access sites (such as GDLN centers) connected to the Bank's network - especially important in countries where no current national research network exists.

"In working with the World Bank, Internet2 continues to fulfill its mission to support the global research, teaching and learning needs of its member community," said Doug Van Houweling, president and CEO of Internet2. "In the future, we hope our work together will be successful in encouraging the development of many research and education networks to enable greater global collaboration and discovery in countries currently without good network infrastructure."

ABOUT INTERNET2
Led by more than 200 U.S. universities working with industry and government, Internet2 develops and deploys advanced network applications and technologies for research and higher education, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 recreates the partnerships among academia, industry, and government that helped foster today's Internet in its infancy.

ABOUT THE WORLD BANK GROUP
The World Bank Group's mission is to fight poverty and improve the living standards of people in the developing world. It is a development Bank which provides loans, policy advice, technical assistance and knowledge sharing services to low and middle income countries to reduce poverty.