Changes in leadership have been announced at the WB Independent Evaluation Group and IMF Independent Evaluation Office. Furthermore, the IMF IEO published its 2023 Work plan introducing two new governance evaluations of the IMF’s mandate and its Exceptional Access Policy.
IEO
Rights
News
CSOs express concern about IMF’s “strongly divergent” social protection approach
Global Coalition for Social Protection Floors submits letter to the IMF expressing concerns about impacts of Fund's policies on social protection.

Accountability
Commentary
The IMF is changing and needs an independent ombudsman
The Fund's expansion of its work into the macro-stability challenges posed by pandemics, climate change, gender discrimination and inequality increases the risks that it may negatively impact communities and individuals.

Private Sector
Analysis
How IMF and World Bank support for financialisation undermines human rights
IMF and World Bank policies and programmes work in tandem to expand and deepen financialisation, exacerbating the inequality crisis and harming human rights, financial stability and democratic governance

Finance
Analysis
Debt crisis prevention: We need to talk about capital controls
IMF's position on capital controls must be revised to recognise that they are an essential and permanent macroeconomic tool necessary to increase countries' policy autonomy and enable them to act counter-cyclically and to prevent future debt crises.

IFI governance
News
Independent Evaluation Office downplays IMF’s promotion of austerity whilst civil society warns of further cuts
Concerns over excessive austerity waved away, despite IEO admission that protection of low-income and vulnerable groups had fallen short.

Finance
News
Evaluation finds IMF advice on capital controls lacking empirical support
IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office suggests that Fund guidelines are too restrictive and recommends a refresh in light of recent experience and research.

Environment
Background
Climate change and the Covid-19 recovery – the role of the IMF in building back better
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 28 September.

Conditionality
Analysis
Structural adjustment is dead, long live structural adjustment
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.

Accountability
News
Independent evaluations continue to lack traction at IMF
Expert panel publishes third external evaluation of IMF's accountability mechanism, finding impact of independent evaluations lacking

Rights
News
IEO fragility report: IMF less concerned with “making a real difference on the ground”
IEO produces fragility evaluation on IMF and finds major staff incentive issues and other concerns, questioning Fund's credibility of its commitments in this area.

IFI governance
Analysis
Spring Meetings 2018 Preamble: Despite favourable growth trends, World Bank and IMF's attempts to tackle debt and inequality remain elusive
On the ten-year anniversary of the financial crisis, the World Bank and IMF have much to ponder ahead of the upcoming 2018 Spring Meetings.