What has most surprised World Bank watchers is how little Paul Wolfowitz has changed the institution he took over one year ago. On Africa, infrastructure, and debt relief, he has stayed the course - for better or worse - set by his predecessor James Wolfensohn.
Debt
Accountability
Background
Debt, conditionality and corruption: Civil society strategy session
Highlights of a 20 April civil society strategy session in Washington on debt, conditionality and corruption.
Conditionality
News
World Bank approves $37 billion in debt relief
World Bank member nations approved $37 billion in debt relief for 17 countries at the end of March.
Finance
News
Latin America sends IMF packing
The IMF's role and financial health have been brought into further question as a result of the early repayment of two of its largest debtors.
Conditionality
News
IMF debt deal 'a victory'
In December, the IMF board approved 100 per cent debt relief to 19 countries under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative amounting to $3.3 billion.
Environment
Background
Highlights of UK NGO meeting with executive director to the World Bank and IMF, Tom Scholar
Brief minutes of UK NGO meeting with Tom Scholar
Environment
News
UK parliament hearings on World Bank, IMF
The UK all-party committee on international development held its evidence session on the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF in October, with evidence heard from the Bretton Woods Project and the Rainforest Foundation, secretary of state for international development Hilary Benn, and representatives of the Treasury.
Social services
News
IMF accused of exacerbating famine in Niger
The IMF's external relations department has spent the last two months furiously rebuffing charges that the Fund has exacerbated famine in Niger. The debate centres around the impact of structural adjustment measures and accusations that donors initially refused to allow the government to distribute free food to affected areas.
Environment
News
Climate change and the World Bank: dubious green credentials
Critique of the new role assigned to the World Bank by the G8 in tackling climate change by creating a framework for clean energy and development. Summary of recent documents examining the Bank's perpetuation of fossil-fuelled economic expansion and false claims made in relation to the Clean Development Mechanism
Knowledge
News
UK National audit office undertakes a review of DfID's engagement with multilaterals
Summary of the terms of reference of the UK National audit office's review of DfID's engagement with multilaterals
Featured briefings
6 April 2023
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023
5 April 2023
The IMF at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The need for governance reform
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
5 April 2023
The global financial architecture and the international debt crisis: An urgent call for reform
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.