Minor changes to World Bank governance were agreed at this year's annual meetings, with a timetable for further reform that could stretch to 2011. As pressure grows for fundamental reform of the international financial architecture, it is unclear whether this process will continue, and if the issue of IMF governance will be reopened.
Voting rights
IFI governance
News
New international economic architecture
The financial and economic crises have brought out a plethora of ideas for reforming the international financial architecture. Below, we highlight a few of the many different blueprints.
Finance
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UK seminar: A coherent civil society response to the financial crisis
On 28 October, more than 40 representatives of NGOs, development organisations, labour unions, think tanks, academia and the media came together in London to discuss how to take forward demands for a fundamental redesign of the international financial system. The main themes for the day were about creating a system that works to improve people's live, reduce poverty, and protect the environment.
IFI governance
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Annual meetings 2008: Communiqués coverage
Coverage of the communiqu
Accountability
Background
Transparency at the World Bank and IMF
Links to GTI principles, reviews of Bank performance on transparency, and a new paper on IMF transparency.
Accountability
Commentary
European NGO statement on Bank governance reform
European governments, who hold eight chairs and have over 30% of the vote at the Bank, have a special responsibility to push for reform. We, the undersigned organisations, call upon our European governments to back a progressive proposal for transformation of the World Bank that includes the key reforms below.
IFI governance
News
Civil society letter on IMF review of lending instruments, facilities, and policies
A letter to IMF EDs and finance ministers about the need to rethink the IMF's role in low-income countries and end the PRGF. It is a global sign-on letter.
IFI governance
News
Who should control the Bank?
Proposed reforms to the way the World Bank is governed tinker at the edges, promising only marginal improvements for developing countries; critics are stepping up the pressure for a fundamental rethink. The World Bank board will discuss a package of reforms to the way the Bank is governed at its annual meetings in October, hoping to agree a concrete set of actions by next spring. Despite calls from developing countries, civil society and others for root and branch change to address the Bank's g
Rights
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The Bank of the South: the search for an alternative to IFIs
Despite the political victory of transformative forces in South America, differences of opinion over the direction of the Bank of the South, a new regional development bank, may slow progress towards developing an autonomous alternative to the World Bank and IMF-dominated international financial architecture.
IFI governance
News
Another committee of eminent persons on IMF governance
The IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has appointed yet another "committee of eminent persons" to try to fix its problems with internal governance.
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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.