Anti-corruption

Accountability

Analysis

Conference summary: Private Sector Turn

On November 22nd 2010, CounterBalance and the Bretton Woods Project hosted a conference in London on "The Private Sector Turn" - the increasing shift from public to private funding in development finance, the forms it takes and what it means for activists and affected people. What follows is a summary of the day's proceedings.

17 December 2010 | Note

Environment

News

Undermining development? IFIs' role in extractive industries in disarray

Ongoing mining projects’ impacts on rights, gender and the environment suggest a new approach to the sector is needed, as the IMF and World Bank dole out contradictory advice on mining revenues.

30 September 2010

Environment

News

World Bank coal lending up amid energy furore

Energy policy at the World Bank remains controversial, with escalating lending to coal projects and a delay to the energy strategy review. Past Bank-financed energy projects in Ghana and Albania are also proving problematic.

30 September 2010

Accountability

News

IMF grants Antigua loan amid controversy

The IMF has faced increased political pressure to refuse a $118 million loan to Antigua and Barbuda following the government’s seizure of assets belonging to Allen Stanford, former head of the now fallen Stanford Investment Bank (SIB).

18 June 2010

Environment

News

IFC's mining investments: a black hole for human rights?

A spate of human rights violations and environmental abuses by mining ventures backed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, is raising alarm over the inadequacy of its social and environmental standards.

16 April 2010

Accountability

News

IMF restores votes for Zimbabwe

The IMF board announced in mid February that the voting rights of Zimbabwe would be restored after seven years of suspension for unpaid debt, meaning that Zimbabwe can now participate in Fund decision making.

16 April 2010

Accountability

News

Education strategy review: has the Bank learned its lessons?

The World Bank launched a review of its education strategy in January with a concept note setting out key challenges and principles for a sector where its activities have come under sustained criticism.

16 April 2010

Accountability

News

Racial discrimination at World Bank

A review of the treatment of black employees at the World Bank in recruitment, retention and justice decisions has been released by the Government Accountability Project (GAP).

10 July 2009

IFI governance

News

IEG: IDA anti-corruption measure inadequate

The IEG published in April a Review of IDA Internal Controls, finding deficiencies in the fiduciary processes and controls the Bank has set up to manage the risk of corruption in IDA operations.

10 July 2009

Accountability

News

Clarification: Armenia corruption Allegations

We would like to appologise for any confusion due to an article in Update 62 on water privatisation. In discussing a Bank project in Yerevan, Armenia, it may not have been clear that all statements about tendering the parliamentary commission, water services, and project material were allegations from the Government Accountability Project (GAP) report.

23 April 2009