Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum Session at the 2017 World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings on IMF and World Bank programmes in the MENA Region.
Conditionality impacts
Conditionality
News
New IMF Mongolia deal: extracting sovereignty
IMF reaches new loan agreement with Mongolia, amidst civil society concerns about impacts on Mongolian people.
Conditionality
Commentary
The IMF returns to Zambia: How will gender and income inequality be addressed?
The government of Zambia has approached the IMF for financial assistance, however, Zambian civil society is concerned that the required reforms will worsen gender and income inequality.
Conditionality
News
IMF lending freeze “pushing Tunisia to the brink”
IMF freezes second payment of $2.8 billion loan to Tunisia, demanding accelerated reform programme despite concerns this will push Tunisia “to the brink”.
Conditionality
Analysis
Egypt’s new IMF deal comes with a huge price tag for human rights
After 4 years of on-off negotiation and public opposition, the government of Egypt has signed a loan deal with the IMF whose impacts civil society fears will encroach upon human rights, social protection and social provision, like health and education, upon which the poorest depend.
Conditionality
Analysis
IMF “rebuked” over role in Troika and its lending to Greece, Ireland and Portugal
IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office has found the Fund’s 2010/2011 Troika lending to Greece, Ireland and Portugal fell short in terms of surveillance, design, implementation and decision making, and described controversial decisions as appearing “rubber-stamped”.
Conditionality
News
IMF approves new Jordan loan
New IMF loan programme to Jordan agreed with gendered conditions, while civil society express concerns about human rights and impacts on the lives of women.
Conditionality
Background
IMF and World Bank’s Influence on Economic Policy Making in Developing Countries
Notes from a meeting at the IMF/World Bank CSO Forum at the 2016 Spring meetings, evaluating how well the World Bank and IMF have done on respecting the country ownership principle ten years after its international acceptance.
Finance
News
IMF increasing its influence in sub-Saharan Africa
As the world economy continues to stutter, many sub-Saharan African countries are turning to the Fund for financial support, though the Funds are coming with strict conditions to restrict spending.
Conditionality
Analysis
Can the IMF leopard change its spots?
In-house IMF magazine article provokes worldwide reaction as it questions IMF’s policy assumptions on austerity, capital controls and ‘neoliberalism’ itself; but Fund backtracks following media criticism
Featured briefings
5 October 2023
World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2023
4 October 2023
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2023
4 October 2023
The IMF and World Bank talk good governance, but walk with state- capturers
From South Africa to Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, the Bank and Fund have demonstrated they are not appropriate allies to address the scale of the crisis the world is facing, especially, given their record.