Leaders attending the G77 meeting of developing countries in Cuba in April, also lent their support to the protests in Washington against the IMF and World Bank.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Conditionality
News
Sri Lankan appeal on aid transparency
Sri Lankan NGOs wrote to their President in May urging him to open up the annual Aid Group meeting at the end of May.
Accountability
News
Kenyans reject new WB and IMF lending
The Stakeholders Support Group (SSG), formed by Kenyan opposition party members, lawyers and NGOs, is protesting against the resumption of IMF lending, saying that the government has not made the necessary reforms to stamp out corruption.
Infrastructure
News
IMF oil price increase fuels protests
Threats of oil prices rises sparked protests in Nigeria in December.
Finance
News
Ecuador crisis leads to indigenous peoples’ uprising
In January, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), and other social movements led an uprising in protest at the worsening economic situation which resulted in the resignation of the president, Jamil Mahuad.
Rights
News
Thai activists accuse IMF of neglecting poor
In February, about 300 activists from the Student Federation of Thailand, the Forum of the Poor and labour groups burnt effigies of IMF managing-director Michel Camdessus and some Thai politicians in a protest in Bangkok where officials were attending the UNCTAD-X meeting.
WB/IMF roles
News
Brazil IMF rep blunder over poverty programme
In February, government and opposition parties called for the Brazilian IMF representative, Lorenzo Perez, to leave the country and accused the IMF of meddling in its domestic affairs.
IFI governance
News
Blair appeal on global institutions
At the Davos Economic Summit in January UK Prime Minister Tony Blair called for serious debate about reforming global institutions.
Rights
News
Jakarta activists call for local initiatives
NGO activists in Jakarta wrote an open letter to World Bank President James Wolfensohn in February, asking him to meet directly with the people to hear their own solutions to reverse Indonesia’s economic decline based on small-scale, local initiatives.
Conditionality
News
Provocative report on IMF and World Bank reforms
A US Congress commission, which reported in March, called for major cut backs in World Bank and IMF activities.
Finance
News
IMF changes its tune on capital controls
A new report from the IMF, Country Experiences with the Use and Liberalization of Capital Controls, reviews experience with the use of capital controls in 14 countries and provides detailed studies of the experience of the use of controls in Chile, India and Malaysia.
IFI governance
News
Danger US Right wing will dominate reform agenda
The Meltzer Report has renewed fears that the debate on International Financial Institution (IFI) reform will be heavily skewed towards right-wing interests.