The IMF has launched a rebranding exercise for all of its lending to low-income countries, and while the new facilities will deliver more resources, the money seems destined to come with the usual damaging conditionality attached.
Debt
Conditionality
News
IFIs and Zimbabwe
The allocation of special drawing rights to Zimbabwe have stirred controversy about whether the country should use these to bolster its flagging public finances, while the fragile coalition government struggles with an external debt burden projected by the IMF to hit almost $7 billion by the end of the year.
Finance
News
Flexibility or seeds of new crisis?
A flurry of papers by the IFIs, UNCTAD and NGOs raise concerns over renewed debt difficulties in poor countries just as the IFI's complete a review of the debt sustainability framework to allow more borrowing.
IFI governance
News
Bank's $100 billion annual lending plan
The progress report for G20 finance ministers said that World Bank lending was projected to reach $100billion annually by 2011, which compares to current annual overseas development assistance aid from all donors of$120 billion.
Finance
News
Record World Bank lending
In June, the World Bank announced record levels of lending with much of the funding for infrastructure projects, where the Bank's record has been particularly controversial.
IFI governance
News
IMF: Bigger but not much nicer
World leaders agreed at the G20 to treble the size of the IMF's resources, but critics worry about strengthening the Fund without fundamental reform of its governance and conditionality.
Land
News
DFID snuggling up to the Bank?
In February the UK Department for International Development (DFID) belatedly released its latest annual report on its relationship with the World Bank. This continues a tradition which sees these reports appear at irregular intervals. As with previous annual reports there is a marked absence of the critiques heard from the Banks Independent Evaluation Group, the Parliament's International Development Committee or civil society for the period reviewed.
IFI governance
News
World Bank's planned lending splurge: Do the numbers stack up?
The first signs of a promised dramatic increase in World Bank lending are emerging, but critics continue to attack the Bank’s lending practices, including its controversial use of conditionality.
Conditionality
Background
Combating tax flight: ending evasion and reducing avoidance
Norway, Germany, IMF, WOrld Bank and experts discuss tackling tax evasion and capital flight.
Rights
News
World Bank, NGOs clash at roundtable on odious debt
A recent roundtable meeting shows that some progress has been made in official understanding of odious debt, but that the World Bank is remaining very cautious on the topic.
Featured briefings
6 April 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2022
8 December 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2021
8 November 2021
IMF surveillance and climate change transition risks
New briefing by ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project highlights research showing that IMF policy advice has undermined a just energy transition since the Paris Agreement was signed.