An act of the Italian Senate on participation in replenishment of international funds and banks, approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee in July, commits the government review to credit mechanisms to include indicators of a country's capacity to achieve the MDGs, end support for water privatisation, advocate an end for fossil fuel support, and report on positions taken by the Italian representatives at the IFIs.
Water
IFI governance
News
Bank replicates past hydropower mistakes?
Concerns raised about the Nam Theun 2 dam in Lao PDR, the Bujagali dam in Uganda and the Inga dam in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) suggest that the Bank may be replicating past mistakes in the flagship projects of its new generation of 'high-risk high-reward' hydropower.
Social services
News
PPIAF on the ropes
The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), a World Bank-administered body that advises countries on water privatisation projects, is facing renewed challenges.
Private Sector
News
Threats to withdraw from Bank's investment tribunal
End April the leaders of Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua agreed to withdraw from the World Bank's International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, a tribunal which rules on cases against governments brought by foreign investors.
Rights
Commentary
Mercury rising: The World Bank and the Nura river clean-up
In 2003 the World Bank approved a $40 million loan for the Nura river clean-up project in central Kazakhstan, however without the World Bank’s respect for basic public participation and environmental impact assessment standards, the project is at risk of causing unexpected and badly mitigated effects.
Social services
News
World Bank: private role in water under scrutiny
At this year's World Bank water week, the Bank and water CSOs took a step closer to dialogue; while the contentious role of the private sector in water provision has been highlighted by the withdrawal of Norway from an infrastructure trust fund, a new UNDP-supported report, and pending investment arbitrations.
Infrastructure
News
Bujagali dam unlikely to benefit ordinary Ugandans
The World Bank is so keen to promote the Bujagali II hydropower project as the solution to Uganda’s energy problems that it has set up a special website for it. Local and international groups who have been lobbying for a full and fair review of Uganda's energy options point out that Bujagali is unlikely to meet the needs of the 95 per cent of Ugandans who live far from the national grid and have never benefited from modern energy services.
Accountability
News
German firm debarred over Lesotho fraud
In November, the Bank debarred German engineering firm Lahmeyer International over bribery convictions in the Lesotho Highlands Water project.
Accountability
Commentary
Time to listen to Lesotho! - The World Bank and its new anti-corruption agenda
Comment piece by Hennie Van Vuuren on corruption and bribery in the Bank-supported Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme
Environment
News
Bank environmental commitment under fire
Details of the World Bank's current sustainability disasters in light of the dismantling of ESSD
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