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North America

IFI governance

Analysis

Spring Meetings 2025 Wrap-up: Don’t look up! Bank and Fund leadership self-censors on climate change and gender issues, as US tariffs rock global economic outlook

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicates US will stay in the Bank and Fund, claiming “America First does not mean America alone,” as tariffs and rising debt vulnerabilities prompt gloomy forecast.

30 April 2025
President Ramaphosa officiate first meeting of G20 Foreign Ministers under South African Presidency. Photo: Government of South Africa/ Flickr

IFI governance

Analysis

G20 press conference and media statement analysis Spring Meetings 2025: lack of Chair's statement yet more evidence of challenges to global consensus

The South African G20 Presidency failed to issue a communiqué and opted not to issue a Chair’s statement at the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings as the US administration’s explicit hostility to multilateralism significantly decreases the potential for consensus across all multilateral fora.

30 April 2025
Barbados finance minister Ryan Straughn chairs V20's ministerial session on 24 April, during the 2025 World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in Washington DC. Photo: CVF/V20.

IFI governance

Analysis

V20 communiqué analysis Spring Meetings 2025: amid attacks on climate action, climate vulnerable countries once again highlight urgent need to step back from the brink

Faced with deafening silence from Bank and Fund leadership on climate issues at the Spring Meetings, climate vulnerable countries demand urgent changes to global financial architecture.

30 April 2025
Illustration showing the World Bank, the IMF and the EU and USA flags watering down the spirit of Monterrey from the walls of Seville old city.

Finance

Analysis

Civil society calls for FfD4 to revive 'spirit of Monterrey' and reassert UN's role in global economic governance

The role of Bretton Woods Institutions remains a key point of contention, amidst their stark governance deficits.

15 April 2025
President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during the opening of the Joint Session of the G20 Sherpa and Finance Trails, at the Itamaraty Palace. Brasília - DF.

Finance

Analysis

The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20

At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.

16 October 2024 | At Issue

Finance

News

Project 2025 takes on the World Bank and IMF – harbinger of an uncertain new era of geopolitics?

US conservative blueprint for second Trump term calls for US to withdraw from World Bank and IMF, amid continued geopolitical tensions and unresolved debt crisis in Global South.

16 October 2024

Finance

News

'Worst ever’ debt crisis puts IDA’s financial model at risk, underscoring need for ambitious donor contributions to IDA21 replenishment

The unfolding debt crisis threatens IDA’s support for 75 low-income countries, without replenishment of grant resources.

3 July 2024

IFI governance

Analysis

G20 press conference analysis Spring Meetings 2024: Concrete actions fail to materialise despite strong Brazilian push

In the absence of a G20 Communiqué or Chair statement, Brazilian minister of finance, head of the central bank and other senior officials took questions at a short press conference, with discussion focused on the impact of continued restrictive US monetary policy on the global debt and development finance and the need for more responsive and better capitalised MDBs.

24 April 2024
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Other news

Environment

News

Trump election may add pressure to reverse World Bank’s prohibition on support for nuclear power

Donald Trump’s election may result in a revision of World Bank’s long-standing prohibition of support to nuclear power.

12 December 2024

Finance

News

Biden administration signals additional funding for World Bank and IMF

New financing for the IMF and World Bank proposed by the US will not fix the flawed private sector development paradigm that burdens Global South economies with debt.

4 October 2023

Finance

News

IMF continues to disregard UN Human Rights Commission concerns about its surcharge policy

IMF managing director continues to refuse to answer letter from UN Human Rights Council concerning the negative impact of IMF surcharges as world celebrates 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5 April 2023

Finance

News

Civil society campaign urges IMF to stop using punitive surcharges

Over 250 civil society experts urge the IMF to eliminate its punitive surcharges on countries in debt distress as they undermine an equitable economic recovery and exacerbate the global debt crisis.

6 April 2022

IFI governance

Background

IMF surcharges: A necessary tool or counter-productive obstacle to a just and green recovery?

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 6 October on the governance and resourcing implications of IMF's surcharges.

6 October 2021 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Making the Most of Special Drawing Rights: Approaches to maximise impact and create a sustainable and just recovery

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 4 October on the ways to maximise the impacts of the recent allocation of $650 billion Special Drawing Rights.

4 October 2021 | Minutes

Infrastructure

News

New US treasury guidance introduces limits for US support for fossil fuels at World Bank

Civil society voices concern about continued support for fossil gas under the policy.

22 September 2021

Social services

News

Malpass makes World Bank a pariah with opposition to TRIPS waiver

World Bank President comes out against temporarily waiving intellectual property rights on Covid-19 vaccines

13 July 2021
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