International donors including USAID and UK DFID have halted aid to Afghanistan following the IMF's suspension of funds in February.
Debt
Social services
News
Rehash of failed policies for Arab states?
As revolutionary movements sweep the Arab world, the World Bank and the IMF have taken a lead in international economic engagement in the Middle East and North Africa region. But critics have warned of the dangers of locking transitional governments into long-term loans with economic conditionalities that may perpetuate the flawed development model that contributed to the crisis in the first place.
Rights
News
IMF's European austerity drive goes on
The IMF programme in Portugal highlights the heavy conditionality attached to loans. Meanwhile, a big, and very public, fight is brewing over debt in Greece, where the IMF denies any problems.
Rights
Analysis
Debt and austerity - from the global South to Europe
In early May, more than 400 activists in Greece and campaigners and academics from across the world met in Athens to confront the current debt crisis of the European periphery and plan international solidarity and coordinated action against fiscal austerity imposed by governments.
Accountability
Background
Consultation on Program for Results (P4R)
Notes of meeting, Washington DC, April 16, 2011
Finance
Background
Meeting between the UK IMF Executive Director Alex Gibbs, HM Treasury and UK civil society organisat
Notes of the seminar of spring meetings 2011
Conditionality
News
Call for debt audit as IMF austerity fails
As IMF austerity policies fail to solve Greece's debt crisis, activists call for an audit commission. Despite ongoing public protests and increasing challenges from academia, old economic principles continue to guide Fund practices.
Environment
News
World Bank seeks expanded role in climate finance despite civil society protests
As civil society organisations line up to demand a minimal role for the World Bank in the new Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Bank is pushing its Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) as a model for the GCF, despite criticism and protest at CIF projects flaring up in recipient countries.
Accountability
News
World Bank launches new Africa strategy
In March, the World Bank launched its new Africa strategy, outlining three main areas in which it will focus its operations: competitiveness and employment, vulnerability and resilience of citizens, and governance and public sector capacity.
Finance
News
Uganda: aid withheld after IMF PSI decision
As the IMF refused to sign off on Uganda's first review of the Policy Support Instrument in mid February, fears amounted of declining donor support.
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.