At the Seattle meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in late November, the World Bank confirmed that it will expand its work on trade.
International
Conditionality
News
IMF crisis conditions reviewed
A new review of IMF conditionality will assess the conditions applied to financial crisis countries, and recommend future approaches.
IFI governance
News
“Knowledge Bank” breaks new ground
The World Bank was a leading organiser of a conference in early December which convened 400 researchers and heads of development think tanks to discuss ways to generate and share research to shape policies.
IFI governance
News
Bank compliance with IDA conditions assessed
At the request of donor governments, the Bank’s Operations Evaluation Department will review the performance of the Bank’s IDA programme from 1994 to the present.
Infrastructure
News
TOP SECRET: Bank strategy on Asian private infrastructure
The impact of the East Asia crisis on private infrastructure projects has been comparatively little discussed.
IFI governance
News
Camdessus quits IMF
Michel Camdessus, Managing Director of the IMF for nearly 13 years has announced his resignation.
Finance
News
IMF and WB to assess financial stability
The Bank and IMF have established the Financial Sector Assessment Programme (FSAP) to assess financial stability in all member countries and prevent crises.
IFI governance
News
Forest policy review delay, IFC scrutinised
The regional consultations that will inform the World Bank’s forest policy review have had to be delayed; they will not start until February or March 2000.
Conditionality
News
WB-IMF orthodoxy rivalled by Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), led by its new head Masaru Yoshitomi, has mounted an attack on the IMF’s use of conventional policies for dealing with the crisis in Asia and plans to hold meetings and seminars to challenge the IMF’s approach at the Bank/Fund annual meetings.
Knowledge
News
Globalization, urbanization, environment assessed
The Bank’s World Development Report 1999-2000, due out in mid-September, will examine globalization, localization, urbanization, and environmental change, presenting their implications for institutions and for policy.
IFI governance
News
CDF country pilots show wide differences in approach
Wolfensohn’s Comprehensive Development Framework, which aims to make the World Bank more responsive to different policy proposals, and encourage long-term, integrated decision-making, is now being piloted in 12 countries.
Knowledge
News
“Knowledge Bank” claims queried
The Bretton Woods Project has received copies of draft papers by two academics critically querying the World Bank’s claims to have become a “knowledge bank”.
