The World Bank has vastly increased the resources it commits to good governance, with a large portion of that going to a complex and under-researched area: legal and judicial reform. Researcher Victoria Harris explores how the Bank uses such reforms to cement in place its preferred market-based development paradigm.
Anti-corruption
Accountability
News
NGO launches parallel review of INT
In May, Paul Volcker announced the team that will review the operations of the Bank's anti-corruption unit, while US NGO GAP announced a parallel review.
IFI governance
News
From Wolfowitz to Zoellick: an opportunity lost
The worst crisis faced by the World Bank in over 60 years brought business to a halt for over six weeks. What really happened, what unfinished business remains, and what lessons have been learned?
Accountability
Background
Highlights of UK NGO meeting with UK Executive Director to the WB/IMF Tom Scholar
Highlights of a 22 June 2007 meeting between UK NGOs and UK executive director to the World Bank and IMF, Tom Scholar. Issues covered included review of the Bank's transport strategy, avoided deforestation, conditionality, debt, social protection and IFI governance.
Accountability
News
Wolfowitz saga turns ugly
The fourth week of the drama unfolding at the World Bank over president Paul Wolfowitz’s promotion of partner Shaha Riza has raised more question marks over Wolfowitz’s judgment during his time at the Bank, further calls for his resignation, and widespread recognition of the need to end the fix which sees the president chosen by the US administration.
Accountability
News
Calls for Wolfowitz to resign mount
Calls are mounting from all directions for the resignation of World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz, following his admission that he personally intervened in the pay rise and promotion of his girlfriend.
Accountability
News
Bank approves anti-corruption strategy: Back to where we started?
In late March, the World Bank board of executive directors approved a heavily revised version of the governance and anti-corruption strategy.
Land
News
Parliamentarians on World Bank
The seventh annual conference of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank was held in Cape Town in March.
Accountability
News
Bujagali funding imminent
Funding from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank for the controversial Bujagali dam in Uganda is imminent.
Environment
Background
Highlights of meeting with Tom Scholar and UK NGOs
Highlights of meeting between Tom Scholar and UK NGOs, December 2006
Featured briefings
16 October 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
16 October 2024
The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.
16 October 2024
Sustainable development requires sustainable finance: why local currency financing is part of the solution
Multilateral development banks can reduce their dependence on hard currency lending and make local currency financing a central element of their developmental mandate.