IBRD

IFI governance

News

Governments agree $86.2 billion boost to World Bank capital

Shareholder governments have agreed an $86.2 billion boost to the capital that guarantees the lending of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, the World Bank's middle-income country lending arm).

17 June 2010

IFI governance

Analysis

Analysis of World Bank voting reforms

The World Bank will continue to be overwhelmingly dominated by rich countries, which stunts its legitimacy and limits its capacity to serve the interests of developing countries.

30 April 2010 | Briefings

IFI governance

News

World Bank-IMF spring meetings 2010

Analysis of governance reforms and other decisions made at the 2010 World Bank and IMF spring meetings

26 April 2010

Environment

Commentary

Eskom loan blackens the World Bank's name

The World Bank, Business Unity South Africa and the African National Congress got their way with a major loan for Eskom, the national power authority, despite broad based opposition from local people, the poor, community organisations, the churches, unions, and environmental and social justice NGOs locally and globally.

16 April 2010 | Guest comment

Social services

News

IEG: World Bank neglects most water-deprived countries

A recent report by the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) finds the Bank's water lending to be overlooking the most water-stressed countries.

16 April 2010

IFI governance

News

Bank voting remains unbalanced

Small shifts in voting power at the World Bank are expected to be formally agreed at April's spring meetings, leaving high-income countries holding almost 60 per cent of the vote, with further reform put off until 2015. Meanwhile the Bank is expected to receive a smaller capital increase than it sought, which could push lending back to pre-crisis levels.

16 April 2010

Finance

News

IMF changing its mantra?

After four decades of promoting policies of targeting very low inflation rates and unfettered capital flows, the global financial crisis has prompted new debate over IMF ideology.

15 April 2010

IFI governance

News

World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2009

Analysis, news, and about the events inside and around the World bank/IMF annual meetings 2009. This page is being updated regularly.

4 October 2009

Environment

News

Business as usual?

The World Bank's planned energy strategy review focusses on energy access for the poor and environmental sustainability, but NGOs fear it will justify continued fossil fuel finance.

22 September 2009

IFI governance

News

Bank's $100 billion annual lending plan

The progress report for G20 finance ministers said that World Bank lending was projected to reach $100billion annually by 2011, which compares to current annual overseas development assistance aid from all donors of$120 billion.

22 September 2009

Finance

News

Record World Bank lending

In June, the World Bank announced record levels of lending with much of the funding for infrastructure projects, where the Bank's record has been particularly controversial.

10 July 2009

IFI governance

News

World Bank-IMF spring meetings 2009

This page will be updated regularly with the latest news from the 2009 World Bank and IMF spring meetings

26 April 2009