G24 finance ministers called for urgent measures to arrest the unequal recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Analysis
IFI governance
Analysis
IMFC communiqué analysis – Annual Meetings 2021
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.
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.
Featured briefings
6 April 2023
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023
5 April 2023
The IMF at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The need for governance reform
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
5 April 2023
The global financial architecture and the international debt crisis: An urgent call for reform
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.