As Fund publishes its first comprehensive review of conditionality since the financial crisis, questions arise about the Fund's capacity to create economic stability and the rise of structural conditions.
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International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Environment
Analysis
Confronted with climate emergency, IMF belatedly attempts to "get real"
Fund turns its attention to carbon pricing to support Paris Agreement alignment, as climate vulnerable countries see rising cost of climate impacts.
IFI governance
Analysis
Here we go again: Surprise IMF leadership change litmus test for its legitimacy
Lagarde resignation kicks-off another leadership race overshadowed by gentleman’s agreement.
Finance
Analysis
The Bretton Woods Institutions and the second crisis of multilateralism
At 75, the World Bank and IMF face a crisis of multilateralism in no small part of their own making as failed economic policies have resulted in skepticism of the international order they helped to create.
Conditionality
Analysis
IMF framework on social spending out of step with international standards
Fund publishes social spending strategy, civil society deems outcome too little too late.
IFI governance
News
Quota reform impasse likely as IMF faces legitimacy crisis
Latest Review of Quotas expected to be quashed, as US signals it will block reform.
IFI governance
News
Follow IMFBoss.com
BWP relaunches IMFBoss.com opening a space for civil society, researchers, academics, officials, insiders and anonymous contributors to share and exchange their ideas and criticisms about the IMF's leadership process, and is now open to new contributions and content.
IFI governance
Background
What is the ‘gentleman’s agreement’?
Leadership of the IMF and World Bank has been guided by a historical 'gentleman's agreement' between Europe and the United States. What does this agreement entail? And how could it be reformed?
Other news
IFI governance
News
New IMF surveillance tool launched
Bretton Woods Project publishes new online tool to search IMF Article IV reports.
Finance
Background
Taxing to Develop: International Taxation Challenges for Africa
Notes from the IMF and World Bank 2019 Spring Meetings official session on 14 April on international taxation challenges in Africa.
Finance
News
IMF and World Bank complicit in “climate debt trap” following Mozambique cyclones
International community fails to deliver on 'Loss & Damage' while poorest countries become further indebted.
Finance
News
Pakistan requests 13th IMF loan, amid US-China tensions
As Pakistan requests an IMF loan amid concerns about its debt sustainability, the IMF response is caught up in China-US tensions.
Infrastructure
Background
Sustainable Infrastructure: Aligning with Rights and the SDGs
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum event on 10 April, which looked at sustainable infrastructure from fiscal, rights and climate lenses.
Finance
Background
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes: Shifting the IFI Narrative to Progressive Gender-just Taxation
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 12 April on the changing international tax landscape from a feminist perspective and challenging IFIs’ role in shaping it at the World Bank and IMF's 2019 Spring Meetings.
Conditionality
Background
Austerity and the right to health - the IMF’s role in expanding fiscal space for public spending
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 10 April on the incoherence between IMF-backed austerity policies, via loan conditionality and policy advice, and the realization of the right to health.
IFI governance
News
Follow BWP’s World Bank and IMF 2019 Spring Meetings Dispatch
BWP will provide analysis of the ministerial meetings’ communiqués, notes from CSPF seminars and more on BWP’s Dispatch page.
Featured briefings
30 July 2019
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2019
30 July 2019
The Bretton Woods Institutions and the second crisis of multilateralism
At 75, the World Bank and IMF face a crisis of multilateralism in no small part of their own making as failed economic policies have resulted in skepticism of the international order they helped to create.
4 April 2019