The communiqué of the IMFC was issued on 14 October. It emphasised an uneven recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and highlighted debt concerns. It also called for progress on IMF quota reform.
Analysis
IFI governance
Analysis
Annual Meetings 2021 Preamble: IMF and World Bank face existential questions in midst of global health and climate crises
Doing Business scandal, likely conditions attached to SDR rechannelling and lack of Bank and Fund support for an intellectual property waiver for vaccines highlight links between undemocratic governance structures at Bank and Fund and the uneven recovery from the pandemic.
Finance
Analysis
Opportunity lost? IMF approach to Special Drawing Rights channelling risks wasting golden chance
Civil society groups argue that IMF must be far more ambitious in its plans for SDRs to be channelled to countries in need.
Social services
Analysis
IMF rhetoric and practice on public sector wage constraints: Advice to slash spending continues despite Covid-19 pandemic
Forthcoming research from ActionAid International shows IMF’s dogmatic support for public sector wage bill cuts continues.
Environment
Analysis
New IMF climate strategy seeks to radically expand its climate work – amid concerns about its approach
Strategy proposes adding up to 95 new staff to boost Fund’s capacity to work on climate issues, as civil society research suggests Fund advise misaligned with just energy transition.
Environment
Analysis
World Bank’s plans for Indonesia: Delayed action on climate and continued coal and gas support
Indonesian civil society have raised concerns that the World Bank is promoting gas and supporting further coal expansion in its new Country Partnership Framework.
Finance
Analysis
Learning lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic: The World Bank’s macroeconomic policies and women’s rights
This briefing argues that the Bank’s current framework for analysing the impacts of its macroeconomic policy advice on gender equality are insufficient.
Finance
Analysis
Civil society joint statement on UK channelling of its SDRs allocation
On 23 August, the IMF finalised the allocation of $650 billion worth of SDRs to its member states. CSOs outline in a joint statement how the UK should seize this opportunity.
Finance
Analysis
Democratic deficit: The IMF, Ecuador, and central bank independence
IMF's continued push for central bank independence criticised as undemocratic, unequal and for curtailing countries' capacity to respond to the pandemic.
Finance
Analysis
The IMF's Comprehensive Surveillance Review: A bungled attempt at meeting the moment
Review maintains inadequate and inconsistent approach to economic and gender inequality, as well as climate change.
Finance
Analysis
Economic stability with social instability: The IMF and austerity protests in Colombia
Mario Valencia of Latindadd explains the context of ongoing protests in Colombia following proposed tax increases from the IMF.
Finance
Analysis
Latest IMF gender research: Making the economy work for women, or women work for the economy?
IMF gender research direction shifts away from macroeconomic drivers of gender inequality.
Featured briefings
21 July 2022
Ending “absolute immunity” for the International Finance Corporation: The legacy of Jam v. IFC
EarthRights International examines how the Jam v. IFC case has helped to shift the landscape of accountability for international financial institutions by successfully challenging their claim to “absolute” immunity in US courts, potentially opening IFC up to further legal challenges in future.
21 July 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2022
14 April 2022