The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a China-led international financial institution created to offer finance to infrastructure projects as part of China's Silk Road initiative, with a focus on bolstering links across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Some government officials and analysts have said growing dissatisfaction among emerging economies at the failure to reform the International Monetary Fund's decision-making system encouraged China to set up the new international lender, with 57 participating countries.