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.
Indigenous peoples
Conditionality
News
UN says World Bank and IMF “bound by international law”
Bold statements made by the UN special rapporteur on the right to food argue that international law is binding on organisations such as the World Bank, IMF and WTO.
Rights
Background
Indigenous policy undermines rights
Summary of the recent paper by UK-based NGO Forest Peoples Programme regarding Indigenous peoples and the World Bank: experiences with participation
Environment
Background
Highlights of meeting between Tom Scholar and UK NGOS
Highlights of meeting between Tom Scholar and UK NGOS
Environment
News
World Bank breaks promises on forests
The Bank has failed to comply with its own operational policy on forests. An inspectional panel request was authorised by the Bank regarding a forest project in Cambodia. NGOs are disappointed at the Bank's draft principles for a code of conduct for mangrove management
Infrastructure
Background
IFC consultation with civil society on the safeguard review
Highlights of the IFC consultation with civil society on its revision of the WBG environmental and social safeguards
Environment
News
IFC safeguard review integrity in question
Summary of concerns on process and substance of the IFC's on-going review of its safeguard policies
Rights
News
Board approves Nam Theun 2 dam in Lao PDR
Bank approves support for Nam Theun 2 dam in Lao PDR despite controversy and strength of international opposition
Rights
News
Draft indigenous peoples policy riddled with loopholes
The previous draft policy on indigenous peoples failed to meet expectations of indigenous peoples and NGOs involved in the process. It was scrapped in 2002. The current revised draft has improved in terms of integrating some previous recommendations made by indigenous peoples but it remains riddled with legal loopholes and ambiguous definitions
Rights
News
IFC-backed mine violates Guatemalan law
One person was killed and ten were injured when the Guatemalan police and military took action to disperse protesters blocking a convoy of mining equipment destined for an IFC-funded gold mine.
Featured briefings
5 October 2023
World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2023
4 October 2023
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2023
4 October 2023
The IMF and World Bank talk good governance, but walk with state- capturers
From South Africa to Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, the Bank and Fund have demonstrated they are not appropriate allies to address the scale of the crisis the world is facing, especially, given their record.