New Inside the Institutions looks at the World Bank’s International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the main forum for Investor-to-State Dispute Settlements.
Trade-finance coherence
Land
News
CAO investigation: IFC-linked rubber firm project paused
An IFC-linked Vietnamese rubber plantation company agreed to temporarily suspend activities in three Cambodian plantations, but activists urged the company to cease its activities in all communities.
Rights
Analysis
Fears of lawsuits at World Bank’s tribunal constrain efforts to fight pandemic
Covid-19 pandemic highlights the urgent need for ICSID and wider ISDS reforms as cases threaten to undermine state efforts to protect public health.
Trade
Analysis
Corporate bias at the World Bank Group
This briefing finds significant bias in favour of corporations and commercial interests in the main venue for settlement of legal cases brought by corporations against governments: the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Trade
News
ICSID problems in the spotlight
Civil society challenges ICSID role in El Salvador mining dispute as international lawyer accuses the arbitration forum of being “seriously flawed”
Trade
Background
The future of Doing Business
Sponsors: EURODAD, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), International Working Group on Trade-Finance Linkages Panelists: Natalia Speer…
Rights
Background
Smart assessment: Capturing and managing human rights risks
Sponsor: Bank on Human Rights Panelists: Isabel Lavadenz-Paccieri (Former Ombudsperson for the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism,…
Private Sector
News
A bad business: Bank divisions on Doing Business revealed
Newly emerged internal documents from the World Banks’ own legal unit reveal strong criticism of the controversial Doing Business rankings following the independent review panel’s critical final report in June.
Trade
News
World Bank to publish procurement contracts
The World Bank has revealed the detail of its 2012 promise to publish contracts online, following on from its procurement review.
Infrastructure
Background
Colombia case study: results measurement and poverty eradication
This session examined Colombia's private sector partnerships and poverty eradication programme.
Featured briefings
9 June 2025
New data reveal World Bank DPF ‘climate finance’ carries strong private sector bias, undermining a just transition
New BWP briefing finds the World Bank counted 70 per cent of energy-sector reforms in Development Policy Financing as having 'climate co-benefits' between 2018-2023 - but most of these promoted a private-led energy transition.
15 April 2025
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2025
2 April 2025