The International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), part of the World Bank Group, is an arbitration forum between governments and foreign investors to settle investment disputes. Two thirds of international investment disputes go through ICSID.
Voting rights
IFI governance
News
World Bank pays top dollar in East Timor
In May, the World Bank was forced to defend the salaries paid to its consultants in East Timor after they were leaked to the press. The salaries, paid by the Bank and donors, ranged from $100,000 to more than $500,000 in a country where half the population live below the poverty line.
IFI governance
News
IMF austerity chills crisis countries
Criticism of the IMF continues to mount as some crisis lending dishes out heavy conditionality. Meanwhile emerging markets have agreed to stump up the cash to refill the Funds coffers, but only on their own terms.
IFI governance
News
Economic crisis: rich countries block reform at UN summit
The first major conference on the financial and economic crisis to involve all countries ended with rich countries blocking substantive reforms demanded by developing countries. The UN conference did however push key issues up the international agenda, such as the need for a better system of international reserves, and for genuine policy space for developing countries.
Accountability
Analysis
Bretton Woods Project submission on the DFID White Paper
In a submission the the DFID white paper consultation, we set out the significant change needed at the World Bank and IMF to bring them into line both with international norms and with UK policy, in order to improve their contribution to sustainable development. In this submission we outline changes needed in: IFI governance; IFI conditionality policies; IFI policies related to aid effectiveness; IFI policy on climate change; private-sector finance; and the financial sector's impact on devel
IFI governance
Analysis
Memorandum by the Bretton Woods Project for the UK Treasury Committee
There are two major problems which interacted together to cause the crisis: the failure of the financial regulatory and supervisory systems and the failure of the international monetary system. These problems are outlined in written evidence submitted to trhe UK Treasury Committee.
IFI governance
News
Spring meetings 2009: communiqués coverage
Coverage of the communiqu
IFI governance
Background
G20 Summit and impacts on developing countries
Summary of IMF and World Bank presentations and the discussion afterwards
Accountability
Background
Meeting between UK civil society and Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Develop
Minutes of a meeting between Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, and UK NGOs, 21 April 2009
Accountability
Background
Meeting between UK NGOs and Susanna Moorehead, UK World Bank Executive Director
Minutes of a meeting between UK civil society and UK World Bank Executive Director Susanna Moorehead
Featured briefings
6 April 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2022
8 December 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2021
8 November 2021
IMF surveillance and climate change transition risks
New briefing by ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project highlights research showing that IMF policy advice has undermined a just energy transition since the Paris Agreement was signed.