Bretton Woods Update No.50 March/April 2006

The World Bank weeds out corruption: Will it touch the roots?

News|8 April 2006

A series of loan suspensions and internal investigations has everyone at the World Bank talking about corruption; despite high-profile moves by president Paul Wolfowitz, the root causes of corruption - underpaid civil servants, an acceptance of bribery by big business, and dirty money - remain largely unaddressed. read article...

Where did the Inspection Panel go?

News|8 April 2006

After a relatively quiet year in 2005, the Inspection Panel will move back into the limelight over the coming months as it issues a series of reports and decisions on requests for investigation. The Bretton Woods Project talked with Eduardo Abbott, Executive Secretary of the Panel secretariat about Wolfowitz, the attack on safeguards, and the impact that the Panel is having on the Bank. read article...

Why have Bank-CSO dialogues on water faltered?

by Belinda Calaguas

Comment|8 April 2006

Since 2003, there have been two attempts at starting a World Bank-civil society dialogue on water supply issues. Both of these simpered to a halt. read article...

Finaliza la revision sobre las salvaguardas de CFI: riesgo antes que la protección

News|4 May 2006

Los criticos aseguran que los estandares revisados de la CFI llevaran a un aumento y no a una disminucion de los casos de abuso social y del medio ambiente. read article...

IFC safeguard review finished: client risk over protecting rights

News|8 April 2006

Critics assert that the IFC's new revised standards will lead to more not fewer cases of social and environmental abuse. read article...

The World Bank and water

Inside the inst|8 April 2006

An overview of how water-related issues are managed at the World Bank. read article...

Early repayment by paper firm relieves culpability for violence, says IFC

News|8 April 2006

The International Finance Corporation has washed its hands of a violent eviction carried out by the Brazilian federal police in January on behalf of the pulp and paper company Aracruz Cellulose. read article...

Will IMF set its sights on managing global reserves? Latest on IMF strategic review

News|8 April 2006

The managing director's report on implementing the Fund's medium-term strategy was discussed by the board 3 April and is anticipated to be released at the spring meetings. Civil society groups have been critical of the opaqueness of the process and the failure to broaden participation. read article...

Evaluation gives World Bank breathing space on ‘results’

News|8 April 2006

The 2005 Annual Report on Operations Evaluation by the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank, has elected to give the Bank more time to see the impact of new measures taken in response to stinging criticisms in previous editions. read article...

Evaluation of IMF finance assessments

News|8 April 2006

The Independent Evaluation Office report on the Financial Sector Assessment Program describes the programme as a "distinct improvement" in the Fund's ability to conduct financial sector surveillance. read article...

UK reports on World Bank and IMF: More work to do

News|8 April 2006

The UK's Department for International Development and Treasury released in late March annual reports on their relationship with the World Bank and the IMF respectively. read article...

World Bank approves $37 billion in debt relief

News|8 April 2006

World Bank member nations approved $37 billion in debt relief for 17 countries at the end of March. read article...

“Over-optimistic about trade liberalisation”: World Bank trade evaluation

News|8 April 2006

In the most comprehensive evaluation ever conducted of the World Bank's work in trade, the Bank's evaluation unit has found that the Bank neither fully understood the implications of its "narrow focus on trade liberalisation", nor did enough to strengthen trade capacity on the ground. read article...

Trip wires and speed bumps in service of global financial stability: A proactive role for the IMF by Ilene Grabel, Professor of International Finance, Denver University

by Ilene Grabel

At Issue|8 April 2006

Under the current IMF strategic review, a "review of the effectiveness of the Fund's instruments to facilitate crisis resolution" is planned. Ilene Grabel, professor of international finance at the University of Denver, argues that the Fund must move from being a reactive institution to being a pro-active one. The IMF should use its technical expertise to mitigate the risks that culminate in financial crises, involving a programme of 'trip wires and speed bumps'. read article...