Market-led policy approaches increasingly used to deal with both climate and health emergencies are failing to protect those most vulnerable.
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UN
IFI governance
Analysis
Biden, the Bank and IMF: A break with ‘America first’ or its continued pursuit through multilateral means?
The world awaits to see whether Trump’s defeat will result in the end of the 'America First' approach and a democratisation of the IMF and World Bank and the multilateral system.
IFI governance
Analysis
Annual Meetings 2020 Preamble: IMF and World Bank frontload austerity and privatisation in Covid-19 recovery, while the world calls for more inclusive multilateralism
As the inability of Bank and Fund to adapt their policies in response to the Covid-19 pandemic becomes more evident, hope turns to the UN system and a radical restructure of the global international financial architecture.
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.
Gender
News
UN holds Pakistan to account for IMF programme impacts on women
Concerns raised about IMF conditions pushing women back into poverty and informal work.
Knowledge
Background
Recommended resources on the World Bank and IMF 2019
The Bretton Woods Project's selection of the best books, reports and other resources on the World Bank and IMF from 2019.
Conditionality
Analysis
IMF and World Bank complicit in ‘austerity as new normal’, despite availability of alternatives
UN organisations build consensus on need to expand fiscal space, as IMF and World Bank continue to push austerity.
IFI governance
Analysis
2019 Annual Meetings Preamble
As the Bretton Woods Institutions reach 75, much-needed critical reflection is still missing.
Other news
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.
Environment
News
Climate Investment Funds quietly postpone decision on how to implement ‘sunset clause’
CIFs indefinitely postpone decision on when they will close, prompting concerns CIFs recapitalisation drive will rival GCF replenishment.
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
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.
Environment
News
As Green Climate Fund and World Bank sign framework agreement, concerns about Bank's role linger
Bank and GCF finalise framework agreement, meaning nine co-financed projects can go forward.
Environment
News
World Bank remains GCF interim trustee amid questions over long-term status
GCF’s permanent trustee will chosen through open bidding process with final decision expected to be taken in October
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.
Rights
Background
Are governments and the Bretton Woods Institutions fighting inequality?
Notes of a 2017 IMF and World Bank spring meetings session on the BWIs and inequality, 21 April
Featured briefings
14 December 2020
Gambling with our lives: Global emergencies expose consequences of decades of IMF and World Bank policies
Market-led policy approaches increasingly used to deal with both climate and health emergencies are failing to protect those most vulnerable.
10 December 2020
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2020
12 October 2020