Analysis

Rights

Analysis

World Bank, IMF and armed conflicts

Recent involvement in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq has put the World Bank and the IMF work post-conflict in the spotlight, with serious implications for their mandates and work methods.

2 February 2004 | At Issue

Knowledge

Analysis

Leading a horse to water: Is there a role for the IMF in poverty reduction?

Many observers were sceptical when a few years ago the IMF embarked on a mission to respond to the "cries of the poor", in the words of its then head Michel Camdessus

25 November 2003 | At Issue

Rights

Analysis

World Bank social and environmental policies: abandoning responsibility?

The World Bank is planning a controversial major overhaul of its ten social and environmental policies.

12 September 2003 | Briefings

Trade

Analysis

Harmonisation and coherence: White knights or Trojan horses?

In recent months, the World Bank has been leading the charge to increase the harmonisation of donor policies and further coherence between the Bank, the IMF and the WTO.

30 July 2003 | At Issue

IFI governance

Analysis

G-7, civil society press for IMF, World Bank transparency reforms

The World Bank and the IMF have responded to complaints about their lack of transparency by issuing mountains of documentation and offering innumerable meetings and consultations. But critics are still not satisfied, pointing to the difficulty for people to find and interpret many of the documents produced, and to the opacity of the institutions’ key decision-making bodies.

29 May 2003 | Briefings

Conditionality

Analysis

Comments on ‘IMF Staff Note on Macroeconomic Programming for Poverty Reduction’

Civil society commentary on the 'IMF Staff Note on Macroeconomic Programming for Poverty Reduction'

25 May 2003 | Briefings

Conditionality

Analysis

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs): A Rough Guide

The aim of this short briefing is to provide information to a non-specialist audience on some key aspects of PRSPs.

9 April 2003 | Briefings

Rights

Analysis

The World Bank, the IMF and “results”: increasing dominance in development policy lending

The World Bank and IMF are making an audacious grab to consolidate their roles as judge and jury of countries’ policies with a plan to conduct “regular reporting on the implementation of the policies and actions for achieving the MDGs and related development outcomes”.

1 April 2003 | At Issue

IFI governance

Analysis

Window of opportunity on IFI governance

Discussion of the key issues to be raised when the Development Committee discusses reforms to the governance structure of the IFIs at the Spring Meetings this April.

28 January 2003 | Briefings

Conditionality

Analysis

Indispensable or unworkable? The IMF’s new approach to conditionality

The IMF says that streamlining will make conditionality more efficient, effective and focused. Careful scrutiny suggests there is still plenty to question in the new approach.

28 January 2003 | At Issue

Environment

Analysis

Blinding with Science or Encouraging Debate?

Blinding with Science or Encouraging Debate?

19 September 2002 | Reports

Knowledge

Analysis

Cornering the Market: The World Bank and trade capacity building

The Bank’s role in trade capacity building affords enormous influence over the hearts and minds of trade policy makers and the way in which trade is mainstreamed into national development plans. The initial experience of the Integrated Framework programme shows that there is reason for concern. (September 2002)

16 September 2002 | Briefings