The international financial system’s reliance upon credit ratings – usually based on dubious premises – needs urgent rethinking.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Finance
Analysis
The IMF and World Bank-led Covid-19 recovery: ‘Building back better’ or locking in broken policies?
Early evidence suggests IMF programmes are maintaining long-term fiscal consolidation targets, while World Bank further continues Maximizing Finance for Development narrative amidst Covid-19 crisis.
Conditionality
Analysis
The IMF’s role in the devastating impacts of Covid-19 – the case of Ecuador
IMF-backed austerity measures starved health sector prior to pandemic, yet Fund continues to prescribe devastating long-term fiscal consolidation.
IFI governance
Analysis
Spring Meetings 2020 wrap-up: Will this change everything? Apparently not…
Analysis of this year's World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings: With international response to Covid-19 mired in geopolitical manoeuverings and resistance to systemic change, calls for alternatives grow.
Finance
News
Argentina increases offer to bondholders after IMF claims “room for improvement”
Private creditors provided with IMF backing in Argentina negotiations as country enters into default.
Finance
News
Failure to lend to Venezuela and Iran once again raises questions around IMF’s political neutrality
IMF fails to respond to loan requests from Iran and Venezula as they struggle to respond to increasing Covid-19 cases and deaths.
Land
News
IMF and World Bank help push through contentious Ukraine land reform amid Covid-19 pandemic
Bank and Fund-backed land bill passed in dead of night during lockdown favouring private investors and Western agribusiness.
Finance
News
IMF watchdog releases Covid-19 tracker
Database launched on Covid-19-related IMF spending to help civil society keep track of lending programmes.
IFI governance
Analysis
Fears of shrinking civil society space as World Bank Staff Association calls for axing of Spring Meetings
World Bank Staff Association's call for permanent cancellation of Spring Meetings and its CSPF raises long-standing concerns about the need for improved civil society engagement by the Bank and Fund.
IFI governance
Analysis
Development Committee communiqué analysis - Spring Meetings 2020
Analysis of the Development Committee communiqué published on 17 April.
Finance
Analysis
IMFC communiqué analysis - Spring Meetings 2020
Analysis of the IMFC communiqué, issued on 16 April, from the 2020 World Bank and IMF virtual Spring Meetings.
IFI governance
Analysis
G20 communiqué analysis - Spring Meetings 2020
Analysis of the G20 communiqué published on 15 April.
Featured briefings
6 April 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2022
8 December 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2021
8 November 2021
IMF surveillance and climate change transition risks
New briefing by ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project highlights research showing that IMF policy advice has undermined a just energy transition since the Paris Agreement was signed.