Bretton Woods Observer
IMF board’s reluctance leaves Special Drawing Rights as an underused tool in Fund’s toolbox
IMF board’s lukewarm endorsement of SDR rechanneling through MDBs stands in stark contrast to continued calls from Global South governments for additional SDR allocations, amid growing debt crisis.
Is the World Bank rolling back commitments to citizen engagement, again?
Understanding the Bank’s chequered history with public, community and civil society participation is key for understanding what is at stake…
Economics is political: the IMF’s programme in Egypt can’t succeed without reforming both
More debt without tackling the political sources of Egypt’s economic problems means a deepening of the crisis.
No false solutions: IMF surcharges must go
The IMF’s surcharges review presents a golden opportunity to eliminate these harmful and counterproductive fees.
IMF’s Interim Guidance Note on Mainstreaming Gender fails to address negative gendered impacts of IMF austerity
Gender Guidance note offers non-mandatory advice to staff on mainstreaming gender but integration of existing in-depth critiques from feminists and civil society needed to tackle gender inequality is missing.
Pakistan’s debt crisis fuelled by more IMF loans
Pakistan on track to receive its 24th loan from the IMF after the lender disbursed the last tranche of the country’s latest $3 billion programme.
‘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.
World Bank’s $1 billion loan to South Africa risks undermining just transition by doubling down on ‘de-risking’ private capital
Despite the Just Energy Transition Partnership’s failure to attract private investments in South Africa, the World Bank is doubling down on a private sector led approach to the green transition through $1 billion loan contingent on the separation of Eskom’s activities.
World Bank agricultural reform programme facilitates exploitation of Zambian farmers
New seed law will benefit agribusiness but infringe on farmers’ rights to share and reuse their own seeds, which will undermine food security in a country where smallholder farmers grow most of the country’s staple food.
Banga calls energy access a ‘human right’ as he announces World Bank will provide access for 250 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030
Explicit mention of human rights obligations has long been a taboo subject at the World Bank.
Ecuador ratifies 2008 ban on investor-state dispute settlement mechanism
Ecuador referendum reinforces the country’s decision against a mechanism criticised for being asymmetric, unjust and detrimental to citizens’ rights.
