The World Bank’s safeguards review is facing more delays in the face of internal wrangling, while civil society has ramped up demands for stronger rules.
Indigenous peoples
IFI governance
Background
What does real accountability mean in practice?
Presentations Dr Juan Almendares, Madre Tierra We must compare reason and reality; reason might be…
Infrastructure
Background
Energy sector trends
Sponsors: Bretton Woods Project, Mott Foundation, Heinrich Boell Foundation-North America, Latindadd, Pacific Environment, International Rivers,…
Land
News
Complaint filed against IFC funded Lafarge mining operation
Khasi indigenous people in Indian state of Meghalaya have filed a complaint with the CAO over illegal land infringement by French multinational Lafarge's Bangladeshi cement plant.
Rights
News
World Bank blamed over 1965 Indonesia massacres
Images from an Oscar-nominated documentary exploring the history of Indonesia’s Suharto government and the killing of an estimated 1 million Indonesians during the 1960s has been screened on the walls of the World Bank to pressure it to acknowledge its support for Suharto.
Infrastructure
Commentary
Disempowered development
World Bank support for a Nepal power line has been criticised for violating indigenous peoples’ rights and the use of armed forces, yet an Inspection Panel investigation has been delayed.
Infrastructure
Analysis
World Bank’s thirst for hydropower
The World Bank and IFC continue push for controversial hydropower, with projects in Guatemala, Democratic Republic of Congo, East Africa, Niger, Pakistan and Macedonia. The Bank warned on long term viability of hydropower, as Uruguay’s state hydro company agreed insurance with the Bank.
Environment
News
World Bank’s mining treasure map
The World Bank is promoting a “billion dollar map” of minerals in Africa, and continues to invest in fossil fuel extraction. Controversy is tainting Bank-funded mines in Colombia and Haiti as locals resist the extractive projects.
Rights
Analysis
IFC fails to act on human rights abuses in Honduras
IFC accountability mechanism formally links World Bank client to human rights abuses on palm oil project in Honduras, and highlights systemic problems with IFC procedures.
Infrastructure
News
World Bank infrastucture support: "finance as extraction"
While India is pushing for the World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Facility, the US voted against IFC support for a Saudi Arabian corporation linked to coal power and an Inspection Panel case was registered for a Nepal power transmission project. Concerns were also raised on infrastructure projects in India, Nepal and Burma.
Featured briefings
21 July 2022
Ending “absolute immunity” for the International Finance Corporation: The legacy of Jam v. IFC
EarthRights International examines how the Jam v. IFC case has helped to shift the landscape of accountability for international financial institutions by successfully challenging their claim to “absolute” immunity in US courts, potentially opening IFC up to further legal challenges in future.
21 July 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2022
14 April 2022