Debt

Conditionality

Background

Fiscal space and fiscal priorities: Infrastructure, trade and poverty

This panel discussion addressed the pros and cons of fiscal space for infrastructure when infrastructure is trade-related, what they mean for current proposals by the World Bank and IMF on fiscal space, and the importance of an assessment that looks jointly at the trade and financial aspects on the grounds of poverty reduction, development and environment goals.

20 April 2007 | Minutes

Finance

Background

Civil society meeting with German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development and Liberian Min

Minutes from meeting: The agenda of the Development Committee and Africa as a focal point for growth and responsibility, with Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany and Antoinette M. Sayeh, Minister of Finance, Republic of Liberia.

16 April 2007 | Minutes

IFI governance

News

Serbia pays out, Turkey next?

Serbia became the latest country to retire its debt to the IMF earlier than anticipated. The National Bank of Serbia paid out 15 March the final $230 million of debt that was not due for full repayment until 2010.

2 April 2007

Social services

Analysis

The elusive quest for ‘fiscal space’

For the last several years the World Bank and IMF have squared off against governments, NGOs, UN agencies and even each other over the concept of ‘fiscal space’. This often nebulous and ill-defined term has caused much confusion. Nancy Alexander finds that at the heart of the matter is a difference of opinion over how and when governments should be allowed to invest in both infrastructure and basic services.

2 April 2007 | At Issue

Land

News

Parliamentarians on World Bank

The seventh annual conference of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank was held in Cape Town in March.

2 April 2007

Finance

Background

The IDA replenishment

Every three years, a series of meetings is held to cajole rich countries into putting money into the coffers of the International Development Association.

2 April 2007 | Inside the institutions

Finance

News

Wolfowitz to face trials over Bank fundraising drive

Reeling from a bruising fight with his board over his plans to tackle corruption, Bank president Paul Wolfowitz now must go hat in hand to donor countries asking them to cough up more for poor country financing just as it has been revealed that the Bank has not been able to get the money it already has earmarked for Africa out the door.

2 April 2007

Conditionality

News

Ecuador, Philippines repay IMF debt

Newly elected Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa, announced in January that he would make early repayments of his country’s $33 million debt to the IMF.

31 January 2007

Knowledge

News

Debt sustainability framework unchanged

NGOs contest a review of the World Bank and IMF’s debt sustainability framework for low income countries which concluded that the system was “broadly appropriate”.

31 January 2007

Conditionality

News

Ortega opts for new PRGF for Nicaragua

Newly elected Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista party are presenting two different faces to the IMF.

31 January 2007