Debt

Environment

Background

Meeting between UK NGOs and Secretary of State, Hilary Benn

Summary of key points discussed at the meeting on 20 September between Secretary of State Hilary Benn, and UK NGOs

8 October 2004 | Minutes

Environment

Background

Meeting with UK Executive Director to the WB and IMF, Tom Scholar

Meeting with UK Executive Director to the WB and IMF, Tom Scholar, Annual Meetings 2004, 14 September

8 October 2004 | Minutes

Finance

Background

2004 NGO-Roundtable with German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

German minister for economic cooperation and development, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul held a now-customary meeting with NGOs. On the agenda was debt, financing of the MDGs and so-called 'voice' issues.

6 October 2004 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Grants or Loans? The Full Debate

The session considered the arguments surrounding the provision of grants or loans by IDA. It considered the recent call by President Bush for the World Bank and other development banks to provide more of their funds to the poorest countries as grants, in recognition of the pivotal role that grants play in providing prudent financing for pressing development needs.

6 October 2004 | Minutes

Environment

News

Town hall meeting between civil society and Bank Fund heads

Highlights from a meeting between Bank president Wolfensohn, Fund director Rato, South African finance minister Trevor Manuel, UK chancellor Gordon Brown, and NGOs.

5 October 2004

Finance

News

Debt sustainability: Oasis or mirage?

UNCTAD has launched a fourth report on economic development in Africa.

4 October 2004

Conditionality

News

IMF role in low-income countries

Highlights of a Fund staff meeting with CSOs to discuss the role of the Fund in low-income countries.

4 October 2004

Conditionality

News

Debt cancellation? Or an exercise in book-keeping?

Talk of full multilateral debt cancellation has been in the air since the June G8 summit against the backdrop of the impending end of the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) Initiative. The US Treasury Department is apparently pushing for full multilateral debt cancellation and could announce this at the G8 ministers meeting ahead of the Bank and Fund annual meetings.

21 September 2004

Conditionality

News

The Bank, the Fund, the debt threat

Researcher Noreena Hertz, in her latest book I.O.U: The debt threat and why we must…

21 September 2004

Conditionality

News

Moving the goalposts: Zambia’s misery prolonged

Despite intensive efforts to implement the necessary conditions, Zambia has been told that it will have to wait even longer for debt relief.

26 July 2004