A broad coalition of organisations is challenging the plan to privatise Ghana’s water system. They complain that the World Bank and IMF-promoted scheme will not extend services to poorer people or ensure fair pricing. The deal - which the IMF has just made part of its new conditions for Ghana - reflects the biases of the consultants which drew it up at a cost of $3million.
Conditionality impacts
Conditionality
News
IMF “fun” with Argentina
The Nigerian government has cancelled its IMF programme. IMF spokesperson tests Argentinians’ sense of humour by agreeing that mistakes may be made again in the future. He explained: “that is economics. And that is why it is so much fun”.
Land
News
Brown’s “New Deal” suggests enhanced Bank, Fund roles
Gordon Brown’s recent speeches on a “New Deal” for the global economy have been generally welcomed, especially for their suggestions that aid budgets should be increased.
Infrastructure
News
Bank plans private sector shake-up
In February the World Bank’s Board will consider a new Private Sector Development Strategy.
Conditionality
Analysis
Bank and Fund watchers must watch WTO
As the World Bank and the IMF inch closer towards streamlining their policies with those of the WTO, and vice-versa, a Bretton Woods Briefing discusses why Bank and Fund watchers should keep a close eye on the WTO negotiations (November 2001) .
Conditionality
News
Ownership friendly conditionality
A new IMF paper proposes changes to current methods of applying conditionality.
Conditionality
News
Ghana PRS has “potential”
An assessment of Ghana’s Poverty Reduction Strategy process (GPRS) suggests there is much potential for formulating, in a participatory manner, an effective poverty reduction strategy.
Conditionality
News
Argentina to be sacrificed on free-market altar?
In August, Argentinian teachers, doctors and public workers went on strike and unemployed workers and students blocked roads to protest against rising unemployment and cuts in pensions and salaries.
Conditionality
News
Conditionality review exposes divergent opinions
Consultations held in Berlin, Tokyo and London for the IMF’s conditionality review have revealed significant differences in opinions.
Conditionality
News
UN report proposes new global institutions
A major policy report has been produced with proposals for the Financing for Development summit to be held next March 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico.
Featured briefings
6 April 2023
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023
5 April 2023
The IMF at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The need for governance reform
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
5 April 2023
The global financial architecture and the international debt crisis: An urgent call for reform
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.