The World Bank Group needs to address its democratic deficit and lack of accountability. As it prepares to elect a new president and implement its “evolution roadmap”, it should use these key opportunities to embrace a profound reform.

The World Bank Group needs to address its democratic deficit and lack of accountability. As it prepares to elect a new president and implement its “evolution roadmap”, it should use these key opportunities to embrace a profound 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.
Anna Bjerde appointed as Bank’s managing director of operations as Axel van Trotsenburg replaces Mari Pangetsu as managing director of development policy and partnerships.
The new World Bank's president should be appointed through a merit-based, transparent process with criteria publicly available and candidates being able to present their platform.
Changes in leadership have been announced at the WB Independent Evaluation Group and IMF Independent Evaluation Office. Furthermore, the IMF IEO published its 2023 Work plan introducing two new governance evaluations of the IMF’s mandate and its Exceptional Access Policy.
More than 140 CSO groups and individuals call on the World Bank to focus on grappling with the harms caused by its undemocratic governance structure and biased publications like the Doing Business Report, and to take measures to decolonise the institution.
IMF announces leadership changes as Gita Gopinath promoted to First Deputy Managing Director, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas named Chief Economist, and Nadia Calviño heads IMFC.
New IFC head will lead implementation of IFC 3.0.
World Bank President comes out against temporarily waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines
Analysis of the IMFC communiqué, issues on 15 October, from the 2020 World Bank and IMF virtual Annual Meetings.