The international financial system facilitates trillions of dollars of capital flight from developing and developed countries to onshore and offshore financial centres, with the active participation of banks and other financial institutions. The consequences are massive tax evasion, a resultant erosion of state budgets, and rising disrespect for the law. The relevant international organisations that, working together, can change this situation are the IMF, the OECD, and the UN.
Analysis
IFI governance
Analysis
How much trust should we put in the funds?
In 2004, the World Bank was responsible for the disbursement of over $3 billion through the 903 trust funds that it manages. The amount of funds being channelled through trust funds looks set to take off as increased international aid commitments chase limited spending channels. Recipients of these funds may see them as manna from heaven - but if trust fund support is not additional to other aid commitments, is this an optimum use of resources or just a cacophony of voices all trying to pull t
Rights
Analysis
World Bank support for extractives: complicity in human rights violations
Refers to the Bank's failure to adequately and explicitly address human rights in its policies, as well as the causality between Bank supported extractive projects and the exacerbation of conflict. Looks at case studies from Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala and Chad and Camerooon.
Social services
Analysis
Secretive World Bank tribunal confronts calls to open up
Civil society groups are backing official calls for reform of the World Bank's International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes - however, the future of the reforms looks uncertain due to resistance from developing countries.
IFI governance
Analysis
Kept in the dark: The World Bank, the IMF and parliaments
Parliamentarians from across the globe have signed on to the International Parliamentarians' Petition. They believe that parliamentarians should be the final arbiters of economic decisions. Current practice, however, means they are not. The World Bank and IMF continue to pressure developing country governments to overrule or sideline their legislatures; a far cry from the principles of good governance which the institutions themselves espouse.
Conditionality
Analysis
The World Bank policy scorecard: The new conditionality?
The World Bank scorecard on borrowing country policies and institutions plays a key role in the allocation of overseas development assistance. Critics argue that the scorecard is a way to coerce borrowers into adopting the Bank's preferred model of economic development.
IFI governance
Analysis
Development Gateway: biased, unaccountable and overpriced?
A study prepared for the Bretton Woods Project has found that the Development Gateway, an internet portal on development issues initiated by the World Bank, presents a biased picture of development debates, lacks independence and is inefficient when compared with other similar initiatives.
Finance
Analysis
UK and the IMF 2003- 5th annual report to parliament
fifth annual report to Parliament on UK operations at the IMF
IFI governance
Analysis
The World Bank’s knowledge roles: dominating development debates
Since 1996 the World Bank President has emphasised his institution’s roles as a “knowledge bank“. But just as one person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter, what some see as knowledge is viewed by others as propaganda for a particular world view.
Rights
Analysis
World Bank, IMF: Helping peace or creating conditions for war?
Recent involvement in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq has put World Bank and IMF post-conflict operations in the spotlight. While some believe multilateral finance is essential, others argue that the Bank and the Fund are acting primarily as pawns of powerful diplomatic and economic interests.
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.
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
Featured briefings
12 December 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2024
16 October 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
16 October 2024
The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.