While the World Bank's leadership is further embracing private equity funds, the IFC's investment in financial intermediaries is again hitting the headlines over allegations of 'land grabs' in South East Asia and lack of respect for indigenous people's rights in Honduras.
Multinationals
Finance
Background
IFC blended finance
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private sector arm, has recently formalised its 'blended finance' approach, undertaking investment in the private sector at lower than market rates using subsidies provided by donors. Donors' concessional funds are combined with the IFC's own non-concessional funding.
IFI governance
News
Doing Business not related to growth
The future of "Doing Business" has nothing to do with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim's opinion of growth ("Stand up for 'Doing Business'", The Economist, 25 May). You confuse growth with a set of indicators which many inside and outside the Bank find fundamentally flawed.
Accountability
Background
UK civil society meeting with UK World Bank Executive Director Gwen Hines
Notes of a meeting with UK executive director to the World Bank Gwen Hines in April 2013
IFI governance
Background
Doing Business at the crossroads: ten years
Spring meetings side event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on 19 April 2013
IFI governance
Background
From the Arab revolutions to global austerity trends
This session examined issues thrown up by the Arab revolutions, including the fiscal, monetary, tax and investment policies being considered by governments facilitating, or hindering countries in the Arab and other regions in building an inclusive economy and supporting socioeconomic recovery, the impact on public expenditure for the strengthening of education, health, and other social sectors as well as the management of chronic and high unemployment and high food and fuel prices.
Accountability
Background
The private sector and poverty eradication
Minutes of an IFC event at the World Bank / IMF 2013 spring meetings
Environment
Background
CSO meeting with Ms. Ksenia Yudaeva, G20 sherpa, Russian Federation
This event featured a discussion between CSOs and the Russian Federation G20 sherpa covering topics including food & nutrition security, jobs and the post-2015 development agenda.
Private Sector
Background
Discussion on IMF jobs and growth policies
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) sponsored discussion on macroeconomic policy in the Eurozone, and the challenges to restoring employment and growth.
Private Sector
Background
What next for the eurozone? Macroeconomic policy and the recession
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) sponsored discussion on macroeconomic policy in the Eurozone, and the challenges to restoring employment and growth.
Featured briefings
12 December 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2024
12 December 2024
Missing in action: accountability is noticeably absent from the World Bank Group’s new Corporate Scorecard
The Corporate Scorecard’s accountability gap is symptomatic of a broader failure on the part of the WBG to fully internalise, integrate and learn from the work of its accountability mechanisms.
16 October 2024