Notes from the IMF and World Bank 2019 Spring Meetings official session on 14 April on international taxation challenges in Africa.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
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
Analysis
Spring Meetings wrap-up 2019: what crisis of multilateralism?
As the world ponders the fate of a beleaguered multilateralism on the 75th anniversary of the Bank and Fund, both fail to act on essential governance reforms and opt to maintain the unjust privilege of the Global North.
Finance
Analysis
Falling growth, rising tensions – IMFC communiqué analysis Spring 2019
Analysis of the IMFC communiqué, issued on 13 April, from the 2019 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings, Washington DC.
IFI governance
Analysis
Development Committee communiqué analysis – Spring 2019
Analysis of the Development Committee communiqué published on 13 April.
IFI governance
Analysis
G24 communiqué analysis – Spring 2019
Analysis of the IMFC communiqué, issued on 13 April, from the 2019 World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings, Washington DC.
IFI governance
Analysis
World Bank president selection: 'Gentleman's agreement' alive and well
World Bank's board fails to live up to commitments to open, transparent and merit-based selection process for Bank president.
Finance
Commentary
Debt and gender equality: How debt-servicing conditions harm women in Africa
As debt crises across the African continent continue to soar, concerns are raised about the gendered impact of debt-servicing conditions imposed by international financial institutions.
Conditionality
Analysis
Unsustainable? The IMF’s approach to the Sustainable Development Goals
As the IMF publishes new SDG site, meaningful policy realignment remains lacking while business-as-usual continues at IMF.
Private Sector
Analysis
The IMF and PPPs: A master class in double-speak
As IMF warns of fiscal risks to PPPs, it continues to back them through policy advice and fiscal consolidation.
Featured briefings
4 April 2019
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2019
4 April 2019
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2019
14 February 2019
The IMF and Gender Equality: Operationalising Change
Latest IMF guidance on gender issues raises more questions than answers as it opens the door to impact assessments and alternative macro policies.