Largely due to the persistent efforts of NGOs and some Executive Directors, the International Finance Corporation (IFC-a private sector support arm of the World Bank Group) has unveiled a series of reviews and new initiatives.
World Bank Group
Social services
News
Mozambican groups criticise CAS consultation
Civil society organisations in Mozambique have reacted angrily to the lack of civil society participation in the preparation of the Bank’s latest Country Assistance Strategy (CAS).
Finance
News
IDA Discussions Start
Paula Donovan, the World Bank staff member in charge of raising funds for the Bank’s soft loan arm the International Development Association (IDA), has undertaken a series of meetings designed to reassure parliamentarians and NGOs.
Conditionality
News
Trigger conditions explained
A country assistance strategy (CAS) identifies “high”, “base” and “low” case lending scenarios - which one a country initially receives depends on its economic prospects.
IFI governance
News
Forest Policy Reviews
The World Bank has agreed to carry out a forest policy implementation review followed by a Forest Sector Strategy review over the next few months.
IFI governance
News
Shaping your country’s future
Bread for the World Institute has produced a guide to advise NGOs and civil society groups on how to influence the World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategies (CASs).
Conditionality
News
Bank Gender Performance Criticised
The NGO network Women’s Eyes on the World Bank has produced a report examining the Bank’s efforts to bring its lending practices into line with the steps agreed at the 1995 World Conference on Women.
Social services
News
New Education Strategy
The Human Development Department of the World bank is preparing an Education Sector Strategy Paper (ESSP).
Knowledge
News
Measuring Knowledge
The 1998 World Development Report (WDR) will address issues of “Knowledge and Information for Development”.
Finance
News
Nicaraguan civil society fears delay in debt process
Nicaraguan civil society organisations (CSOs) fear Nicaragua will not qualify for the HIPC Debt Initiative before the population has suffered further.
Rights
News
Regulating or Freeing NGOs?
The Bank-commissioned Handbook on Good Practices for Laws Relating to Non-Governmental Organisations has been criticised in a report by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.
IFI governance
News
Good Governance for BWIs
The IMF and World Bank should reform their constitutional rules and decision-making procedures and practices if they are to achieve the standard of good governance they themselves have defined for borrowing members.
Featured briefings
9 June 2025
New data reveal World Bank DPF ‘climate finance’ carries strong private sector bias, undermining a just transition
New BWP briefing finds the World Bank counted 70 per cent of energy-sector reforms in Development Policy Financing as having 'climate co-benefits' between 2018-2023 - but most of these promoted a private-led energy transition.
15 April 2025
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2025
2 April 2025