Finance

Analysis

Programme conditions, project safeguards: Quo vadis World Bank?

This briefing clarifies the landscape of programme conditions and project safeguards and what it implies for a move towards responsible lending standards.

8 October 2007 | At Issue

IFI governance

News

Yet another European for senior post at IMF

In early October Italian Economy Minister Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa was selected to be the next chair of the powerful International Monetary and Finance Committee (IMFC), marking the second European in a week to be chosen for a important position at the IMF.

5 October 2007

Accountability

Background

The World Bank and financial sector reform

Financial sector reform constitutes a major area of work for the World Bank.

5 October 2007 | Inside the institutions

IFI governance

News

Questioning the IFC's impact "without embarrassment"

In August, the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) released its evaluation of the development results of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), finding that of the 627 projects surveyed, 59 per cent are claimed to have achieved a high development rating.

5 October 2007

Accountability

News

Deforestation and double standards

As the Bank prepares to launch its Forest Carbon Partnership Facility forestry experts fear that this framework will benefit industrial scale logging.

5 October 2007

Accountability

News

Gender practice fails to live up to commitments

US NGO Gender Action has published three papers illustrating the gulf between the IFIs' stated commitment to gender equality and the actual gender dimension of their investments.

5 October 2007

Finance

News

World Bank breaks silence on odious debt

The World Bank released a paper on 'odious debt' in September following months of silence, adding to a growing number of initiatives examining the concept.

5 October 2007

Accountability

News

What steps will the World Bank take to combat corruption?

With the release of an action plan for tackling corruption and an independent review of the anti-corruption unit, the issue remains high on the World Bank's agenda.

5 October 2007

Finance

News

IMF surveillance role: fundamentally misaligned?

Shortly after IMF members agreed to a new bilateral surveillance framework on exchange rates in June it was undermined by the US and criticised by civil society. Now the US wants the Fund to start regulating sovereign wealth funds.

5 October 2007

Accountability

News

IFC: ‘badges of excellence’, dubious practice

The IFC is scaling up its investment in high risk and low-income countries "as part of its development mission", and is now on track to double financing for mining in Africa this year. However its attempts to position itself as an environmental and human rights 'expert' in these sectors lacks credibility.

5 October 2007

Environment

News

Competing to ‘light up’ Africa

The Bank's latest carbon reduction credentials are offset against the institution's continued funding for large-scale, grid-based energy sector loans.

5 October 2007

IFI governance

News

What will Zoellick's World Bank look like?

With an increasing number of commentators asking whether and how the World Bank can remain relevant, chief economist Francois Bourguignon unveiled a draft overview of a 'long-term strategic exercise', and the IEG released an evaluation of the Bank's work in middle-income countries.

5 October 2007

IFI governance

News

New IMF head, same legitimacy problem

French socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been selected to take over as the managing director of the IMF, but he comes in on a wave of displeasure with both the undemocratic system that selected him and the strategic direction of the Fund.

5 October 2007

Environment

Commentary

The World Bank and the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project

A critical analysis of the the World Bank-supported West Africa Gas pipeline, by Michael Karipko of Environmental Rights Action, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

5 October 2007 | Guest comment

Finance

News

Fund loosens the aid noose … but just a little

After reviews of its engagement with low-income members the IMF is in the process of redesigning its programmes, but its recent changes on dealing with aid inflows have not satisfied critics of the Fund's inflexibility in allowing the scaling up of social spending.

10 August 2007