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.
Macroeconomic policy
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.
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'.
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
Conditionality
Background
IMF macroeconomic policies and the impacts on education budgets and teacher wages
IMF civil society dialogue, spring meetings 2007 (14 April 2007)
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
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
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.
Conditionality
Background
Sub-Saharan Africa: Outlook and Challenges
Sub-Saharan Africa: Outlook and Challenges; IMF-civil society dialogue, 13 April 2007
Social services
Analysis
The elusive quest for ‘fiscal space’
For the last several years the World Bank and IMF have squared off against governments, NGOs, UN agencies and even each other over the concept of ‘fiscal space’. This often nebulous and ill-defined term has caused much confusion. Nancy Alexander finds that at the heart of the matter is a difference of opinion over how and when governments should be allowed to invest in both infrastructure and basic services.
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The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
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The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.
16 October 2024
Sustainable development requires sustainable finance: why local currency financing is part of the solution
Multilateral development banks can reduce their dependence on hard currency lending and make local currency financing a central element of their developmental mandate.