In January, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), and other social movements led an uprising in protest at the worsening economic situation which resulted in the resignation of the president, Jamil Mahuad.
Latin America & Caribbean
WB/IMF roles
News
Brazil IMF rep blunder over poverty programme
In February, government and opposition parties called for the Brazilian IMF representative, Lorenzo Perez, to leave the country and accused the IMF of meddling in its domestic affairs.
Accountability
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Panel claim in Ecuador
The Prodeminca mining project in Ecuador, officially called the Ecuadorian Mining and Environment Technical Assistance Project, involves a loan for $14 million that was approved in 1994.
Accountability
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Brazil land reform Panel request denied
The second Inspection Panel claim on the pilot phase of the Brazilian land reform project, commonly known as Cedula da Terra, was denied for reasons of eligibility of the requesters.
Land
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Swiss delegation to Brazil
In late November a delegation of Swiss NGOs, parliamentarians and senior aid officials travelled to Brazil to examine recent World Bank lending to that country.
Conditionality
News
Strikers in Colombia in protest at IMF and debt
In late August Colombian labour unions began an indefinite national strike in protest at the government’s political, social, and economic agenda and calling on the government to declare a moratorium on the payment of its internal and external debt.
Conditionality
News
Bank support for social sector in Brazil an illusion
Last year the World Bank lent billions of dollars to Brazil, claiming that they would support social safety-nets during the financial crisis.
Finance
News
IMF policies fuel social crisis in Ecuador
In July, rising transport and fuel prices in Ecuador led to strikes and public protests, and an up-rising by thousands of indigenous people who are also concerned about privatisation plans.
Rights
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Confronting Gender Inequities and Political Disempowerment
The Women’s Eyes campaign was launched by women’s movements and NGOs to monitor World Bank progress in bringing its lending operations in line with the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women Beijing Women’s Summit in 1995.
Land
News
Brazilian land claim fails
Brazilian NGOs’ Panel claim with the Panel about the C
Environment
News
Bolivia-Brazil Pipeline
The details of ensuring implementation of World Bank operational policies are explored in a recent report from the Bank Information Center.
IFI governance
News
Bolivian NGOs angry at misrepresentation
Key Bolivian NGOs feel that Wolfensohn has misrepresented the Bolivian National Dialogue (carried out in 1997) and subsequent process as a model for other countries to follow.