Bretton Woods
Update 23
Global health fund debated
A new global fund to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria will be administered by the World Bank in collaboration with WHO and UNAIDS.
“NGO pressure” vital in private sector changes
The International Finance Corporation – an arm of the Bank Group which supports private investment – has released a new strategy.
Privatisation of water not “pro-poor”, NGOs warn
Ghanaian and international groups raise concerns about Bank-backed plans to privatise metropolitan water supply.
PRSPs just PR say civil society groups
Two new civil society statements have concluded that the PRSP process is simply delivering repackaged structural adjustment programmes (SAPs).
Bank response to Tower of Babel briefing
This is a World Bank response to the Bretton Woods Project briefing, A Tower of Babel on the Internet.
Demanding Dignity
A new report – Demanding Dignity: Women Confronting Economic Reforms in Africa – from the North-South Institute, Canada, examines African women’s struggles to deal with gender-bias in financial and economic policies.
Environment reviews question Bank performance
Two new official reviews examine the World Bank’s efforts to protect the environment.
Russian advisors get new jobs
Martin Gilman, former IMF Moscow representative, has been hired to teach economics by the Russian state-funded Higher School of Economics, while Anders Aslund, the one-time consultant and promoter of Russian privatisation, has been appointed to a World Bank team investigating the success of such programmes.
Response to the Gateway team
Bretton Woods Project response to John Garrison of the Gateway team.
PRSPs still promote privatisation
Analysis of four completed PRSPs and twelve Interim PRSPs by World Development Movement finds that civil society groups are dissatisfied with the extent of public involvement and that IMF and Bank influence is weakening government ownership.
10 problems with the World Bank Development Gateway
1. The Gateway’s Topic structure reflects an aim to organise development-related information in a way that is convenient for people who see the world through official development lenses.
Nigerians condemn IFC collaboration with Shell
IFC plans for a joint project with the Shell oil company in Nigeria have been condemned by Niger Delta-based community organisations and international human rights groups.
Headhunting policy updated
The joint draft report from the Executive Board Working Groups reviewing the leadership selection processes of the World Bank and IMF recommends that candidates could be nationals of any member country, and that Executive Directors should agree on a shortlist and make an appointment by consensus.
Letter on Bujagali dam, Uganda
Concerns raised about planned World Bank-backed private sector dam in Uganda.
Development Gateway launch courts controversy
The World Bank will launch its Development Gateway internet initiative on 23 July.
New briefings on Bank policy revisions
Forest Peoples’ Programme has produced three new briefings on World Bank policy reformulation processes.
Progress with IMF evaluation unit
Mr Montek Ahluwalia, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, has been appointed Director of the IMF’s new Independent Evaluation Office (EVO).
World Bank warned: don’t meddle with media
In a World Bank consultation on the role of the media in development, Bank officials were told to stay away from media training and other direct influence over journalists.
Capital Account Liberalization and Poverty:
Summary of a discussion hosted by the Heinrich B
IMF announces new staff after three go
After IMF Economic Counsellor Michael Mussa’s resignation in March, two other senior IMF staff announced their plans to leave.
Nigerians condemn IFC collaboration with Shell
Niger Delta-based organisations outraged over pending World Bank loan for a joint project with Shell Oil in Nigeria, saying IFC favours profitability over local environmental and social concerns.
World Bank intensifies trade work, but cancels conference
The World Bank has pledged to “intensify its trade-related activities” by increasing its research, training and advocacy at global and country levels.
Go with the flows?
A meeting, organised by Bretton Woods Project and Heinrich B
IMF and WB wanted for fraud
Protesters carrying placards proclaiming “Africa Needs Liberation Not Charity” and “the Debt is a Fraud” gathered outside World Bank offices in London on 26 May to mark African Liberation Day.
World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings 2001
The Bretton Woods Project website will feature summaries and analysis of issues and background papers in preparation for and during the annual meetings.
Adjustment Directive consultation process still unknown
During the Spring Meetings NGOs had a disappointing meeting with Joanne Salop, Vice President for Operations Policy and Strategy.
Indigenous leaders angry at World Bank, IMF
World Bank and IMF policies harm indigenous communities around the world and are a new form of colonisation, said delegates to the First Millennium Conference of Indigenous Peoples, held in Panama in May.
Chad Cameroon arrest
Yorongar Ngarlejy arrested, supporters urge halt to Bank-backed oil project.
Bolivian civil society sidelined in PRSP process
About seventy civil society organisations in Bolivia have signed a statement detailing concerns with the consultation and drafting process for the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.
Pakistanis walk out from WB “consultation”
NGOs, CBOs and academics walked out from the World Bank’s so-called “public consultation” on its Country Assistance Strategy on May 17th.
Bank ponders poverty report implementation
A recent Bank document sets out the plan for implementing the conclusions of the Poverty World Development Report (WDR).
African leaders speak out against donors
At a forum in Lagos Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo accused the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and creditor nations of being unfair to developing countries trying to repay crippling external debts, reports Reuters (17/5/01).
Slimmer IMF but fatter Bank
The IMF’s efforts to streamline itself are likely to make little difference to countries implementing Bank and IMF programmes.
Analysing poverty impacts
At their Spring Meetings the IMF and World Bank outlined plans to carry out social impact analyses when designing macroeconomic and structural reforms.
Study urges overhaul of international institutions
A new study from the United Nations University (UNU), an autonomous UN institution based in Tokyo, calls for an overhaul of international institutions.
A Tower of Babel on the internet?
Critical report on the World Bank’s major new internet initiative, the Development Gateway.
Reality check on debt
A new report from Drop the Debt argues that the World Bank and IMF can afford to cancel in full the debts of the poorest countries without putting at risk their finances.
New adjustment credit guidelines revealed
Impact assessments and participatory monitoring and evaluation processes will be key features of the World Bank’s new Poverty Reduction Support Credit (PRSC) according to guidelines.
A Tower of Babel on the Internet? The World Bank’s Development Gateway: Summary
A Tower of Babel on the Internet? The World Bank’s Development Gateway: Summary
World Bank land reform strategy disputed
A new report from US campaign group Food First assesses the World Bank’s approach to land reform.
Malawian NGOs recommend PRSP improvements
Following a successful bid to extend the PRSP process in Malawi, the Malawi Economic Justice Network has appraised the process with a view to informing and improving the next stages.