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Critical voices on the World Bank and the IMF
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G20 chair’s summary analysis Annual Meetings 2025
G20 once again failed to agree a Communique as chair’s summary ignored Sevilla Commitment and climate, and reflected continued challenges to global cooperation on issues pivotal to economic and geopolitical stability.
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Sri Lanka and the IMF: Another stark example of the need for urgent debt restructure reform
After defaulting in 2022, Sri Lanka has entered its 17th IMF programme, resulting in severe socially and economically damaging austerity, as IMF’s inadequate debt sustainability analysis and approach continue to fail to address the root causes of the country’s cyclical debt problems.
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IDA21 policy package disappoints as prospects for IDA countries continue to darken
After difficult negotiations due to American pressure on climate and gender, World Bank governors approve IDA21 document, embedding the Bank’s problematic private sector-led development approach and failing to integrate economic transformation or binding human rights obligations.
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As Global North blocks progressive reforms at FfD4, World Bank’s failed private sector approach gains traction
As Global North obstructs global finance and debt architecture reforms proposed at FfD4, the World Bank’s failed “billions to trillions” approach continues to gain prominence.
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G20 press conference and media statement analysis Spring Meetings 2025: lack of Chair’s statement yet more evidence of challenges to global consensus
The South African G20 Presidency failed to issue a communiqué and opted not to issue a Chair’s statement at the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings as the US administration’s explicit hostility to multilateralism significantly decreases the potential for consensus across all multilateral fora.
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Spring Meetings 2025 Preamble: geopolitical turmoil further muddies path of BWI reform and multilateral cooperation
As the World Bank and IMF prepare for the 2025 Spring Meetings, the US executive order reviewing its participation in global institutions has heightened long-standing concerns about the direction of the Bretton Woods system – with civil society turning to FfD4 to reimagine the future of multilateralism.
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Private lenders’ resistance to Ethiopia’s debt relief highlights urgent need for debt architecture reform
Ethiopia becomes the latest victim of the dysfunctional Common Framework, as private lenders continue to hold out on its debt restructuring with significant human rights, social and economic consequences.
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Civil society calls for FfD4 to revive ‘spirit of Monterrey’ and reassert UN’s role in global economic governance
The role of Bretton Woods Institutions remains a key point of contention, amidst their stark governance deficits.
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Missing in action: accountability is noticeably absent from the World Bank Group’s new Corporate Scorecard
The Corporate Scorecard’s accountability gap is symptomatic of a broader failure on the part of the WBG to fully internalise, integrate and learn from the work of its accountability mechanisms.
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New report debunks claims that inadequate MDB transparency results from private sector concerns
Amid underwhelming private capital mobilisation, new report underscores poor state of transparency and disclosure of private sector finance by multilateral development banks and development finance institutions.
