IFI governance

Analysis

Beware the big, bland wolf

What has most surprised World Bank watchers is how little Paul Wolfowitz has changed the institution he took over one year ago. On Africa, infrastructure, debt relief and the environment, he has stayed the course - for better or worse - set by his predecessor James Wolfensohn. On the high-profile issue of corruption, he has created a lot of noise, but many question whether or not he has a plan. Only in his management moves has he lived up to the fears - or in some cases wishes - of his critic

19 June 2006 | At Issue

Finance

Commentary

One hand gives while the other takes: Nicaragua under IMF conditions

IMF conditionality undermines achievement of MDGs in Nicaragua

19 June 2006 | Guest comment

IFI governance

News

‘Cleaning’ energy

Environment and development groups have slated the World Bank’s ‘Clean energy and development: towards an investment framework’ for its perverse definition of clean energy, letting Northern polluters off the hook and neglecting the needs of the rural poor.

19 June 2006

Environment

News

Barrage of criticism over IFC safeguards review

A number of new reports have come out in criticism of the IFC's recent revision of its lending standards.

19 June 2006

Rights

News

Righting the Bank’s agenda

The departing swansong of World Bank former legal counsel Roberto Da

19 June 2006

IFI governance

News

African EDs urge top-up for capacity building

As the pilot phase of the Analytical Trust Fund, which finances research to support Sub-Saharan African executive directors' participation on the boards of the Bank and Fund, draws to a close, directors urge its replenishment.

19 June 2006

Social services

Background

The World Bank and ageing

The who, what, where and how much of the World Bank's work with the aged and pension reform.

19 June 2006 | Inside the institutions

Accountability

News

Bank stumped on Uruguayan paper mills

The IFC and MIGA have been unable to manage the international dispute created by their proposed investment in two pulp and paper mills in Uruguay, and show no signs of setting a board date for considering Bank support.

19 June 2006

IFI governance

News

Inspection Panel condemns Bank forestry project in Cambodia

A leaked Inspection Panel report heavily criticises a Bank's forestry management project in Cambodia.

19 June 2006

IFI governance

News

Bank cooks up growth study

At the spring meetings in April the Bank released a paper on fiscal policy for growth, and announced the creation of an independent commission on growth. However, the composition of the commission suggests that its purpose is to shore up the widening cracks in the Washington consensus, rather than explore new thinking.

19 June 2006

IFI governance

News

Evaluation finds Bank's disaster work reactive, lacks strategy

The Independent Evaluation Group published an evaluation of World Bank assistance for natural disasters, finding that the Bank lacks a strategic approach to disasters, is failing to integrate disaster preparation in its lending, and lacks sufficient expertise or coordination mechanisms.

19 June 2006

Conditionality

News

Inflexibility on aid scale up haunts IMF fiscal conditions

The rigidity of Fund programmes is causing chafing at the collar in governments and civil society organisations in low-income countries, as the debate over the scaling up of aid rages.

19 June 2006

Accountability

News

Evaluation echoes civil society critique of World Bank-IMF debt relief efforts

An evaluation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative by the Bank's Independent Evaluation Group released in April begs the question what next for debt relief efforts.

19 June 2006

Conditionality

News

IMF strategic review: too little, too late?

The managing director's report on the medium-term strategic review released at the spring meetings was short on specific proposals for reform implementation and lacked commitments for improved democratic functioning or strengthened surveillance of large industrial countries.

19 June 2006