Conditionality

Analysis

Can the IMF leopard change its spots?

29 June 2016

In-house IMF magazine article provokes worldwide reaction as it questions IMF’s policy assumptions on austerity, capital controls and ‘neoliberalism’ itself; but Fund backtracks following media criticism

Rights

Commentary

Lessons from Kenya: Why the World Bank must apply the Indigenous Peoples Policy consistently

The World Bank’s support for a Kenya electricity programme is criticised for failing to comply with its Indigenous Peoples Policy, with implications for the Bank's future lending and the safeguards review.

29 June 2016 | Guest comment

Infrastructure

Analysis

World Bank set to finance criticised mega gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Europe

The World Bank has announced its intention to fund the Azerbaijan and Turkey part of the Southern Gas Corridor to Europe, despite concerns over the geopolitical context and fossil fuel dependency.

29 June 2016 | Guest analysis

IFI governance

Analysis

World Bank results: "box-ticking" on gender, weak monitoring and evaluation

A new IEG report highlights persistent concerns with the World Bank’s monitoring and evaluation systems and ‘sluggish’ management response, and raises questions about the effectiveness of the Bank’s integration of gender within its operations.

29 June 2016

Finance

Analysis

Public-private partnerships: The global debt iceberg?

Despite their popularity, PPPs have a very bad track record of delivering cost-effective investment for governments, and pose additional and serious problems by reducing transparency and accountability.

29 June 2016 | Guest analysis

Finance

News

Third time a charm? Fund pressured into possible return to Greece

As Eurozone countries agree a new loan package to Greece, the IMF has conceded to ‘major concessions’ instead of up front debt relief and may participate in a new programme despite its insistence that the Fund's involvement in future programmes is dependent on ‘significant debt relief’.

29 June 2016

Environment

News

World Bank’s new Forest Action Plan questioned

The World Bank has released its Forest Action Plan, but civil society raised concerns, including regarding lack of impact in light of the outcomes of the safeguards review and the links to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility.

29 June 2016
Bridge International Academy in the Nairobi slum of Mukuru kwa Njenga. Photo credit: Frederic Courbet for NPR

Social services

News

IFC-pushed private education investment model criticised by UN

Two UN committees and a special rapporteur have questioned development aid funding going to private education, including through IFC supported Bridge International Academies.

29 June 2016

Rights

News

Renewed warnings over World Bank safeguards “dilution”

Further concerns have been raised over dilutions of the World Bank’s proposed new safeguards framework, as controversy arose over a Bank waiver of the indigenous peoples policy for a Tanzania project.

29 June 2016