While NGO Oxfam criticised the IMF for failing to learn lessons of the past in its approach to European austerity, IMF research on inequality produced findings opposite to IMF programme demands for borrowers.
Conditionality impacts
Finance
Commentary
Why the IMF must cancel Pakistan's debt
Alongside development and economic issues, Pakistan will be tackling the debt repayments that the country is scheduled to make in the next two years and beyond thanks to a $6.64 billion IMF loan agreement. The debt burden is suffocating public spending.
Social services
Analysis
IMF's Greek mea culpa
In June the IMF released an ex post assessment of its 2010 lending programme to Greece which described a series of errors and found that the Fund consciously chose to break its own rules on the sustainability of the programme.
Conditionality
News
Pakistan needs to borrow "to repay IMF"
In late June, finance minister Ishaq Dar informed Pakistan's national assembly that the government "will have to go to the IMF" in order to repay current outstanding loan instalments to the Fund.
Conditionality
News
Democracy: "an enemy to the IMF"?
The legitimacy of IMF engagement with Middle East and North African nations and eurozone crisis countries continues to be heavily criticised.
Conditionality
News
IMF to play "grand endorser" in Jamaica?
Jamaica is close to agreeing a new IMF programme despite a recent record of disputes.
Conditionality
News
IMF-Zimbabwe relations tentatively resume
In September the IMF executive board praised Zimbabwe's efforts to repay its debts to the Fund and relaxed restrictions on technical assistance.
Conditionality
News
IMF controversy: is austerity backfiring?
The IMF's shift in stance regarding easing Greece's debt burden reflects a deepening controversy about whether austerity policies are counter-productive.
Accountability
News
Bretton Woods Project submission to IEO evaluation
We are very pleased to see the IEO continue its excellent work reaching out to stakeholders, external parties and shareholders, while both considering its work programme and conducting evaluations. This is a vital component of the IEO’s approach that ensures well-informed and well-considered analysis.
IFI governance
News
World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2012
Analysis, news, and about the events inside and around the World Bank/IMF annual meetings 2012. This page is being updated regularly.
Featured briefings
1 October 2024
Year one of World Bank Paris Agreement alignment in the energy sector: ‘green conditionality’ dwarfs green investments
New BWP research finds the Word Bank's approach to Paris alignment is being used to a significant extent to impose ‘green conditionalities' on borrowing countries, especially in the Global South.
3 July 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2024
3 July 2024
Is the World Bank rolling back commitments to citizen engagement, again?
Understanding the Bank’s chequered history with public, community and civil society participation is key for understanding what is at stake and what to do next.