In November, Pakistan and the IMF again failed to agree conditions for release of the sixth instalment of the country's Stand-by Agreement.
Debt
Conditionality
News
IMF economics put recovery at risk (not to mention people)
Amid slowing global economic growth the IMF welcomed fiscal consolidation, despite warnings that in Europe and in developing countries austerity policies and consumption taxes are threatening recovery and harming the most vulnerable.
Conditionality
Background
Civil Society Townhall Meeting with Robert Zoellick and Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Notes of the seminar of annual meetings 2010
Knowledge
Background
Meeting between the UK IMF Executive Director Alex Gibbs , HM Treasury and UK civil society organisa
Notes of the seminar of annual meetings 2010
Environment
News
IFI-induced debt catastrophes?
Natural disasters in Haiti and Pakistan have heightened calls for larger debt cancellation, rather than new IMF loans, and for a rethink of the sovereign debt system.
Land
News
UK reviews World Bank, multilateral aid
In June the new UK coalition government announced a hasty review of its funding to multilaterals, including the World Bank Group.
Accountability
News
IMF grants Antigua loan amid controversy
The IMF has faced increased political pressure to refuse a $118 million loan to Antigua and Barbuda following the government’s seizure of assets belonging to Allen Stanford, former head of the now fallen Stanford Investment Bank (SIB).
Conditionality
News
Debt crisis in Europe: Beware IMF bearing gifts
The descent of Greece into a sovereign debt crisis marks the first time a country that uses the euro has gone to the IMF. The fear of adverse market reaction has now moved Europe towards greater coordination and the G20 to argue against continued fiscal stimulus.
Finance
News
Zimbabwe turns to the IMF
In March the Zimbabwean cabinet agreed to a new debt relief strategy that includes recourse to the IMF and World Bank's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
Conditionality
Background
The IMF's framework for low-income countries
In the midst of the global financial and economic crisis the IMF amended its lending framework for low-income countries (LICs). It now has three main instruments for LICs – the Extended Credit Facility, the Standby Credit Facility and the Rapid Credit Facility. The three different programmes are subsidised by the newly created Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT). The IMF also engages with LICs through non-financial facilities, especially the Policy Support Instrument (PSI) and the St