A recent article in the Legal Times alleges that there is significant corporate lobbying of the World Bank.
International
News
Thanks for support
The Bretton Woods Project thanks the CS Mott Foundation and Christian Aid for their continued support.
Knowledge
News
Bank approach to social capital criticised
Ben Fine, Professor of Economics at SOAS, University of London, has produced a 30,000 word paper which reviews and severely critiques the World Bank’s approach to social capital.
Rights
News
Post-crisis social code diluted to weak Bank principles
There is danger that the aims and scope of the social principles (formerly the Social Code), which was proposed by Gordon Brown as a fourth pillar of the new international architecure, will be watered down to become simply a framework for the Bank’s social policy.
Accountability
News
Last ditch attempt to save Inspection Panel
On March 24 the World Bank Board will hold a special consultation session about likely changes to the Bank’s Independent Inspection Panel.
Finance
News
New credit line means more IMF conditionality
The G7 proposal to establish a Contingency Credit Facility has met with opposition from some European and developing countries.
IFI governance
News
Bank participation in carbon fund in doubt
The World Bank may have failed to secure European financial support for the Prototype Carbon Fund, one of the controversial carbon-trading schemes devised to implement the Kyoto climate change protocol.
IFI governance
News
Bank seeks balanced development strategies
Bank President James Wolfensohn has announced a new initiative which aims to balance economic with non-economic analysis and enable real participation and transparency in drawing up country strategies.
IFI governance
News
Financial Stability Forum agreed
The G7 will establish a Financial Stability Forum (FSF) to improve the monitoring and regulation of financial markets.
News
IMF “serious” about improving NGOs relations
Useful Contacts
Conditionality
News
Selectivity: conditionality by any other name
Government officials met the World Bank in March to discuss new criteria for allocating its IDA (soft loan) resources among countries.
IFI governance
News
IMF social staff appointed
The UK Department for International Development is funding 2 social advisors to join the IMF’s Africa department to advise on the social implications of the IMF’s ESAF programmes.
Featured briefings
5 October 2023
World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 2023
4 October 2023
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2023
4 October 2023
The IMF and World Bank talk good governance, but walk with state- capturers
From South Africa to Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, the Bank and Fund have demonstrated they are not appropriate allies to address the scale of the crisis the world is facing, especially, given their record.