The deep freeze on communications between the World Bank’s water unit and civil society groups thawed a little at a recent dialogue. A revolt against private sector participation in Bolivia shows just how far there is to go.
IFC
Rights
News
IFC-backed mine violates Guatemalan law
One person was killed and ten were injured when the Guatemalan police and military took action to disperse protesters blocking a convoy of mining equipment destined for an IFC-funded gold mine.
Land
News
IFC funds Amazon deforestation, undermines safeguard policies
Brazilian and international NGOs charge that IFC-funded soy and cattle projects in the Amazon further deforestation, ignore social and environmental risks and contradict World Bank policy.
IFI governance
News
The end of the Wolfensohn era
Bank president James Wolfensohn has said he will retire on 31 May after 10 years in the post.
Environment
News
Consultation extended for IFC safeguard review: doubts remain
World Bank environmental and social safeguard policies have long been a subject of contention. The Bank has now begun to shift from "explicit, mandatory policies, to which it can be held accountable, to flexible principles or national standards, permitting the investor and/or the borrowing government to determine the project's social and environmental requirements". This is illustrated most clearly by the on-going reviews of the IFC's Safeguard Policies and World Bank's Country Systems.
Environment
Background
UK NGO meeting with Executive Director Tom Scholar
Uncorrected highlights of a 14 December meeting between UK NGOs and UK Executive Director to the World Bank and IMF, Tom Scholar.
Rights
News
Groups attack World Bank standards
More than 200 civil society organisations and socially responsible investors called on the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, to protect the interests of the poorest and the public when setting rules governing global private investment
Land
News
IFC-funded goldmine shut down by local protest
Following two weeks of protests and road blocks that shut down the city of Cajamarca…
Rights
News
World Bank accountability: demand for reparations won't go away
In 1982 more than 400 Maya Ach
Environment
News
Baku Ceyhan pipeline under scrutiny
The Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline has come under renewed scrutiny just over one year after receiving…
IFI governance
News
Controversial Indian dam approved
In October the Bank's board approved a $45 million loan from the International Finance Corporation, for the controversial Allain Duhangan hydropower project in the Indian Himalayas.
Accountability
News
Chad-Cameroon pipeline: Corruption and double standards
The Bank’s claim that the Chad-Cameroon oil and pipeline project proves that petro-dollars can benefit the poor is undermined by the claims of local communities and NGOs who cite numerous examples of violations of social and environmental safeguards.
