Private Sector

Analysis

ICSID and Latin America

3 December 2013

Latin American states are actively exploring alternative mechanisms to the ICSID state-investor dispute mechanism which they claim has investor bias.

Finance

Analysis

The IMF’s debt restructuring dilemma

Burgeoning debt levels, and problems in Jordan and Philippines, indicate that debt crises are not behind us. While the IMF considers policy changes, an influential group of scholars has proposed a new Fund facility for handling sovereign debt restructuring.

3 December 2013

Social services

Commentary

World Bank funded private schools in Pakistan

Pakistan’s education system has recently received enormous global attention however the increase in World Bank-backed investment in low cost private schools threatens to undermine recent government moves and the campaign to provide all children with free compulsory education.

2 December 2013

Private Sector

Analysis

Croissants and TV guides: World Bank's new poverty reduction strategy?

IFC investments in a TV guide, hotels and online shopping highlight projects with weak development outcomes

3 December 2013

Environment

Analysis

A mine of controversy: World Bank push for large scale extractives

New concerns have been raised on the World Bank’s involvement in the Simandou mine in Guinea, including on the use of biodiversity offsets, while civil society has repeated unaddressed concerns on the Mongolia Oyu Tolgoi mine. Further concerns have been raised on mines in Dominican Republic, Peru and South Africa.

3 December 2013
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Infrastructure

Analysis

World Bank courts controversial coal in India and Indonesia

Despite its increasingly strong rhetoric on tackling climate change the World Bank continues to fund contentious coal projects in India and Indonesia, including rejecting the findings of its accountability mechanism.

3 December 2013

Rights

Analysis

A fragile solution: World Bank’s new approach to fragile and conflict affected states

World Bank launches a new approach to fragile states, accompanied by resources, including IFC investment but it remains unclear what role it will play in implementing the reforms.

3 December 2013

Private Sector

Analysis

IFC-financed private equity fund implicated in Honduras dam

Amidst new complaints on the failure of the investments of the IFC’s financial sector clients to meet the IFC performance standards, including a controversial dam in Honduras, civil society organisations have rejected the IFC’s proposed action plan as unacceptable.

3 December 2013

IFI governance

Background

IMF transparency policy

A decision paper relating to IMF transparency policy was published in July but has not satisfied critics, particularly civil society groups.

3 December 2013 | Inside the institutions