Civil society organisations in Malawi which described the PRSP process there as “a joke” have succeeded in persuading their government to extend the process.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Land
News
Some progress on Mozambique cashew, sugar liberalisation
Mozambique has won more flexibility in its five-year battle with the World Bank and IMF to restrict the export of unprocessed cashew nuts.
Environment
News
Concern on African pipeline watchdog
In early March the World Bank Group announced a special International Advisory Group (IAG) to oversee the controversial Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline project.
Finance
News
Africans query World Bank, IMF governance mantra
A week-long “listening tour” brought World Bank President James Wolfensohn and IMF Managing Director Horst K
Infrastructure
News
Kenya faces new aid embargo
In January the IMF and World Bank threatened to cut off Kenya from more than $450 million in aid as a result of a parliamentary bill on interest rate controls.
Conditionality
News
New research on African PRSPs
A study for the Strategic Partnership for Africa of eight countries provides a useful summary of experience to date with producing interim PRSPs.
Finance
News
Dakar 2000: from resistance to alternatives
In December a meeting of campaigners in Dakar, Senegal assessed Africa’s debt crisis and the human effects of structural adjustment.
News
Africa Partnership
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is also promoting an “Africa Partnership Initiative”.
Environment
News
Chadian president spends pipeline windfall on arms
In June the World Bank agreed to back the Chad Cameroon oil pipeline, despite serious reservations from civil society groups in Chad and around the world.
Conditionality
News
US rejects user fees
The US government has been forced to adopt legislation requiring it to oppose IMF and WB loans, which contain conditions for the imposition of user fees for primary education or primary health care.
Conditionality
News
Tanzanian NGOs criticise PRSP
The Government of Tanzania’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) was endorsed by the IMF and WB Boards in early December despite claims from Tanzanian NGOs that the consultative process was inadequate.
Conditionality
News
Reflections on Kenyan PRSP process
NGOs in Kenya are highly critical that the Poverty Reduction Strategy process did not fully involve NGOs, was dominated by the Bank and IMF and was not poverty focussed.
