Highlights of a 22 June 2007 meeting between UK NGOs and UK executive director to the World Bank and IMF, Tom Scholar. Issues covered included review of the Bank's transport strategy, avoided deforestation, conditionality, debt, social protection and IFI governance.
Debt
Finance
Background
Growth Commission case studies unveiled
As a key part of its remit, the Commission on Growth and Development has identified twenty areas it deems crucial 'to furthering our understanding of long-term sustainable economic growth and development'.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Featured briefings
27 September 2023
Financialisation and human rights in the Middle East and North Africa
This briefing explains how the IMF and World Bank have driven the financialisation of MENA states, and the pervasive negative effects this has had on the region’s societies and economies.
19 July 2023
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2023
3 July 2023
Civil Society calls for rethink of World Bank’s ‘evolution roadmap’ as part of wider reforms to highly unequal global financial architecture
Joint civil society briefing paper highlights concerns with the World Bank’s Evolution Roadmap, and provides a series of recommendations for a Roadmap that prioritises people, participation and the planet over profit and economic growth.