Bretton Woods
Update 44
Charging interest on bullets: Calls mount for debt cancellation
High-profile debt cases in South Asia, Argentina and Iraq are leading to increased calls worldwide for independent tribunals to determine which debts are not legally enforceable.
The role of World Bank and IMF post-tsunami in Indonesia
The Paris Club communiqu
World Bank tsunami response
World Bank’s response to the tsunami in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives
Recommended resources 2004
selected resources published in 2004
Evaluation of Bank global programmes: “poorly-defined” and excluding the poor
The World Bank’s evaluation department has released a scathing report on the Bank’s approach to global programmes, finding the approach “poorly defined” and the voices of developing countries “inadequately represented”.
Bank on agricultural trade: export strategy “impoverishing”
The latest World Bank publication on agricultural trade finds that a “development strategy based on agricultural commodity exports is likely to be impoverishing in the current policy environment”.
Cautious dialogue as conflict over water continues
The deep freeze on communications between the World Bank’s water unit and civil society groups thawed a little at a recent dialogue. A revolt against private sector participation in Bolivia shows just how far there is to go.
Draft indigenous peoples policy riddled with loopholes
The previous draft policy on indigenous peoples failed to meet expectations of indigenous peoples and NGOs involved in the process. It was scrapped in 2002. The current revised draft has improved in terms of integrating some previous recommendations made by indigenous peoples but it remains riddled with legal loopholes and ambiguous definitions
IFC-backed mine violates Guatemalan law
One person was killed and ten were injured when the Guatemalan police and military took action to disperse protesters blocking a convoy of mining equipment destined for an IFC-funded gold mine.
Bank review of the use of loan conditions takes shape
The scope of a year-long review of the conditions that the Bank attaches to its lending is becoming clearer, but differences with the Fund remain.
IMF and World Bank emergency response
The role of the IMF and World Bank in responding to emergencies and coordinating with relief efforts.
The end of the Wolfensohn era
Bank president James Wolfensohn has said he will retire on 31 May after 10 years in the post.
IFC funds Amazon deforestation, undermines safeguard policies
Brazilian and international NGOs charge that IFC-funded soy and cattle projects in the Amazon further deforestation, ignore social and environmental risks and contradict World Bank policy.
Consultation extended for IFC safeguard review: doubts remain
World Bank environmental and social safeguard policies have long been a subject of contention. The Bank has now begun to shift from “explicit, mandatory policies, to which it can be held accountable, to flexible principles or national standards, permitting the investor and/or the borrowing government to determine the project’s social and environmental requirements”. This is…
Italian bank dumps troubled World Bank Caspian pipeline
Italian bank pulls out of IFC-backed oil pipeline in the Caspian
Bankspeak of the year 2004
2004 was a bumper year for new acronyms from the masters of the art form. But three new outstanding additions deserve special mention.
IMF: you don’t need no education
Research by ActionAid International finds that IMF polices present the biggest obstacle to attaining global goals for education.
Evaluations of education, countries “under stress”
The World Bank’s Operations Evaluation Department is in the early stages of evaluations of the Bank’s work in education and in so-called low-income countries under stress.
IFI events at World Social Forum 2005
This year’s World Social Forum, which took place at the time of publication in Porto…
BWP thanks readers for support
Following our appeal for help in Update 43, we would like to thank readers for…
West Africa gas pipeline approved
The World Bank’s board of directors recently approved an investment guarantee for the US$590 million West Africa gas pipeline (WAGP)