Debate remains over the formulation and content of PRSPs. Many analysts suggest that they continue the trajectory of structural adjustment policies.
Accountability
Private Sector
News
Acres debarment: Litmus test for Bank on corruption
The Bank's sanctions committee has reopened the debarment case against Acres International, a Canadian firm whose conviction for bribing an official was upheld by the Lesotho appeals court last August.
Conditionality
News
Parliamentarians increase demands on World Bank
At a major conference in February parliamentarians from 70 countries demanded a greater say in approving national policy frameworks.
Accountability
Analysis
World Bank, IMF: Helping peace or creating conditions for war?
Recent involvement in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq has put World Bank and IMF post-conflict operations in the spotlight. While some believe multilateral finance is essential, others argue that the Bank and the Fund are acting primarily as pawns of powerful diplomatic and economic interests.
Accountability
News
Legislators courted but oversight insufficient
The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) will hold its annual conference February 15-16 in Paris. Oversight of relations between governments, the IMF and the Bank by legislators is still insufficient in the North and in the South.
Accountability
Analysis
World Bank, IMF and armed conflicts
Recent involvement in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq has put the World Bank and the IMF work post-conflict in the spotlight, with serious implications for their mandates and work methods.
Accountability
News
Europeans gather to assess global progressive strategies
Key European politicians, campaigners and officials met in Brussels to discuss bolder strategies for global governance. They discussed a report by former Danish Prime Minister Poul Rasmussen which recommends significant reducing the roles of the World Bank and IMF.
Accountability
News
In through the back door: capacity building or concession taking?
Some of the recommendations made in the diagnostic studies of the Integrated Framework touch upon sensitive areas in development policy such as privatisation, trade liberalisation and investment and competition policy.
Environment
News
World Bank rewards Cambodian government despite forest mismanagement
Despite its failure to improve forest management, the World Bank has released further funding to the Cambodian government. NGOs argue that this shows that the Bank is not serious about social and environmental issues. The Bank's anti-corruption credentials are also in doubt as it has awarded a contract for forest monitoring to a company with convictions for bribery.
Trade
News
High-level conference on "trade, growth and poverty"
Organised by the UK Department for International Development, the World Bank, IMF and UNDP, a two-day conference held in London 8-9 December gathered officials, agency representatives and academics to discuss the links between trade, growth and poverty. The objective of the conference was to provide direction on how to integrate trade into national development strategies.
