Background

Background

Northern Countries

High-income countries. Otherwise known as Developed countries.

6 September 2005 | Glossary

Background

G-8

G-7 and Russia, group created in Denver in 1997.

6 September 2005 | Glossary

Background

Conditionality

Economic polices or structural reforms that [borrowing] members agree to follow as a condition for the use of IMF and World Bank resources [loans] often called performance criteria or benchmarks.

6 September 2005 | Glossary

Background

Resettlement Plan

Interest and principal payment on an IMF loan.

6 September 2005 | Glossary

Background

What is the World Bank Group?

The World Bank Group is made up of five institutions, four of which were created after 1944, all sharing a similar mandate of reducing poverty and facilitating economic growth in developing countries. The original institution is the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), often simply known as the World Bank. Other institutions have been added: the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

23 August 2005 | FAQ

Background

How does the World Bank operate?

The World Bank is the largest public development institution in the world, lending around US$ 25 billion a year to developing countries. The main purposes of the Bank, as outlined in Article One of its Articles of Agreement, are: "to assist in the reconstruction and development of territories of members by facilitating the investment of capital for productive purposes" and "to promote the long-range balanced growth of international trade and the maintenance of equilibrium in balances of payments by encouraging international investment ... thereby assisting in raising the productivity, the standard of living and conditions of labour in their territories".

23 August 2005 | FAQ

Background

How does the IMF operate?

The IMF was conceived primarily as a supervisory institution to promote international monetary cooperation and facilitate the growth of international trade. This is to be achieved through maintaining monetary exchange stability and assisting member countries who are experiencing balance of payments problems.

23 August 2005 | FAQ

Environment

Background

Highlights of meeting between Tom Scholar and UK NGOS

Highlights of meeting between Tom Scholar and UK NGOS

28 June 2005 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

The executive boards of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (archive)

contribution from Tom Scholar, UK executive director to the World Bank and IMF

13 June 2005 | Inside the institutions

Environment

Background

UK NGO meeting with executive director Tom Scholar: uncorrected highlights 4 April 2005

Minutes of Spring meeting with Tom Scholar and UK NGOs in London

28 April 2005 | Minutes

Infrastructure

Background

IFC consultation with civil society on the safeguard review

Highlights of the IFC consultation with civil society on its revision of the WBG environmental and social safeguards

22 April 2005 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Workshop on parliamentary scrutiny

Parliamentarians from eight countries present the international parliamentarians' petition to the Bank and Fund

22 April 2005 | Minutes