Macroeconomic policy

Environment

News

Just say no

Member countries are increasingly rebuffing World Bank and IMF programmes, advice and even membership, with Latin American nations withdrawing from the Bank's investment arbitration mechanism.

2 July 2007

Social services

News

Bank and Fund undermining health, education spending

A high powered working group examining the IMF and health spending found that the Fund has unduly constrained counties’ policy choices, while other recent reports accuse the World Bank and the IMF of undermining quality education. Meanwhile, the Bank’s private sector arm has stepped up its support for private schooling in Africa.

2 July 2007

Finance

Background

Growth Commission case studies unveiled

As a key part of its remit, the Commission on Growth and Development has identified twenty areas it deems crucial 'to furthering our understanding of long-term sustainable economic growth and development'.

24 May 2007

IFI governance

News

UK Treasury to focus on IMF surveillance reform in 2007

In its annual report to parliament about the UK and the IMF, this year subtitled "Reform to delivery prosperity for all", the UK Treasury's most ambitious goal for 2007 is to revise the IMF's surveillance framework. While also setting out to build on the proposals for governance reform of the IMF, the report does not prioritise creating an open and merit-based process for selecting the managing director of the IMF, overhauling the transparency policy at the Fund, or grappling with the issue of w

18 May 2007

Conditionality

Background

IMF macroeconomic policies and the impacts on education budgets and teacher wages

IMF civil society dialogue, spring meetings 2007 (14 April 2007)

27 April 2007 | Minutes

Conditionality

Background

IEO Evaluation of the IMF and Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa

Civil society dialogue, spring meetings 2007 (12 April 2007) on the IEO Evaluation of the IMF and Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa

27 April 2007 | Minutes

Conditionality

Background

Workshop on aid and the roles of the World Bank and IMF in low-income countries

To date there have been gaps in the thinking and policy lines of UK NGOs on several key questions in relation to low-income countries, multilateral institutions and development. The 1 May 2007 workshop will bring the BWI-UK and UKAN networks together to address the following four questions, with a view to coordinating policy and advocacy positions: 1. What role do/should the IMF and World Bank be playing in the evolving international aid architecture? 2. Should the IMF be providing dev

25 April 2007

Conditionality

Background

Fiscal space and fiscal priorities: Infrastructure, trade and poverty

This panel discussion addressed the pros and cons of fiscal space for infrastructure when infrastructure is trade-related, what they mean for current proposals by the World Bank and IMF on fiscal space, and the importance of an assessment that looks jointly at the trade and financial aspects on the grounds of poverty reduction, development and environment goals.

20 April 2007 | Minutes

Conditionality

Background

Sub-Saharan Africa: Outlook and Challenges

Sub-Saharan Africa: Outlook and Challenges; IMF-civil society dialogue, 13 April 2007

19 April 2007 | Minutes

Conditionality

News

Evaluation finds that IMF misleads the public about its role in Africa

A report released by the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the IMF criticises the role of the IMF in managing aid inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa, but fails to address more fundamental questions about the Fund’s role in low-income countries.

2 April 2007