World Bank unveils cascade concept that privileges private over public finance. De-risking in order to attract private sector investments threatens to shift risks to public sector and result in third wave of privatisation.
UN
Conditionality
News
IMF lending freeze “pushing Tunisia to the brink”
IMF freezes second payment of $2.8 billion loan to Tunisia, demanding accelerated reform programme despite concerns this will push Tunisia “to the brink”.
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
IFI governance
Analysis
The Bank and the IMF in 2016: year in review
The Bretton Woods Project's review of the most important developments at the World Bank and IMF in 2016.
Finance
Analysis
Development finance institutions and responsible corporate tax behaviour
Report finds Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) are not doing enough to eliminate the risk of public money being complicit in tax avoidance schemes.
Environment
Background
Safeguarding climate finance: GCF, MDBs, rights, and social/environmental risk
Notes from a side event at the IMF/World Bank 2016 annual meetings discussing lessons learned from the World Bank Group’s experiences with high risk projects, safeguards, gender equality, Indigenous Peoples, and environmental and social management systems, and how these should be applied to the Green Climate Fund.
Gender
News
Gender equality at the IFIs: progress or PR?
The World Bank and the IMF have increased their rhetoric on gender equality, but concerns remain about Fund and Bank impacts on gender equality in practice.
Finance
News
UN vote supports calls for independent debt crisis response mechanism outside the IMF
UN votes in favour of accepting new principles to guide sovereign debt restructuring, as CSO report warns of risk of new crises linked to aid and multilateral lending.
Social services
News
Palliative treatment? IFIs follow up on Ebola
The World Bank and IMF have announced new facilities to support countries hit by public health disasters.
Private Sector
News
IFC ignores concerns about investments in financial intermediaries
IFC disagrees with concerns raised by CAO about its capacity to assess whether its investments through financial intermediaries have a positive development impact.
Rights
News
UN experts critique World Bank draft safeguards
UN experts have questioned the World Bank’s draft safeguards’ lack of references to human rights, meanwhile the consultation process continues to raise concerns by NGOs.
Social services
News
World Bank: education is a "private good"
A World Bank blog about the benefits of private schooling has been contravened by a UN committee and heavily criticised by civil society
