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Finance

Argentinians demonstrate against IMF debt payments. Credit: Nick Photoworld/ ShutterStock

IFI governance

News

New Independent Evaluation Office findings expose political pressures and over-optimism in IMF’s Exceptional Access Policy

Evaluation finds Exceptional Access Policy has been applied inconsistently, influenced by political pressures, and used as a substitute for debt restructuring while failing to attract private capital.

15 April 2025
Ethiopia Minister of Finance at the Horn of Africa Initiative Ministerial meeting, Brussels December 2023. Photo: Christophe Licoppe/ European Union/Wikimedia

Finance

News

Private lenders’ resistance to Ethiopia's debt relief highlights urgent need for debt architecture reform

Ethiopia becomes the latest victim of the dysfunctional Common Framework, as private lenders continue to hold out on its debt restructuring with significant human rights, social and economic consequences.

15 April 2025
Palace of Nations - UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Trabantos/ Shutterstock

Rights

News

UN Human Rights Council debt roundtable concludes debt crisis is a human rights crisis

UN Human Rights Council’s Seventh Intersessional Meeting calls for states to use FfD4 to agree reforms that enable states to deliver on their human rights obligations.

15 April 2025

IFI governance

News

New report debunks claims that inadequate MDB transparency results from private sector concerns

Amid underwhelming private capital mobilisation, new report underscores poor state of transparency and disclosure of private sector finance by multilateral development banks and development finance institutions.

12 December 2024
2024 IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings. Credit: Simone McCourtie / Flickr.

Finance

News

IMF’s PRGT review places the burden of financing the program on low-income countries

As the IMF increases cost of lending for LICs by introducing a tiered interest mechanism to the PRGT, CSOs and V20 Group call instead for an SDR interest rate cap to reduce the cost of lending and for sale of gold reserves to address the funding gap.

12 December 2024
October 25, 2024 - Washington, D.C. | Participants of the 2024 IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings’ Development Committee: Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Ajay Banga, Kristalina Georgieva, and Mercy Tembon. Photo: Simone McCourtie / World Bank (via Flickr).

IFI governance

Analysis

Development Committee chair’s statement analysis Annual Meetings 2024: compounding crises expose the World Bank’s role in structural failures but limit scope for reform

Despite Development Committee’s call for increased development impact amidst compounding crises, persistent geopolitical fragmentation constrains the critical reforms needed to address structural failures.

29 October 2024

IFI governance

Analysis

G20 communiqué analysis Annual Meetings 2024: progress on tax and inequality obscures Group's wider failures

At the 25th anniversary of the Group’s Finance Track, the G20 communiqué’s robust language on the taxation of billionaires, including encouraging “constructive discussions” about the UN Tax Conference was contrasted by much more cautious language on MDB reform, climate finance, debt and Special Drawing Rights.

29 October 2024

IFI governance

Analysis

IMFC chair’s statement analysis Annual Meetings 2024: a fiscal consolidation “pivot” as IMF struggles to get its house in order

Chair’s statement calls for a ‘pivot’ to fiscal consolidation and announces possible approaches to guide further quota realignment by June 2025. In contrast, China’s statement calls for work to begin on alignment even without resolution of 16th quota review.

29 October 2024

Other news

IFI governance

Background

24 April 2025 | Minutes

IFC Sustainability Framework Review: a pivotal opportunity to protect human rights and the environment

Notes from the 24 April Civil Society Policy Forum session, titled IFC Sustainability Framework Review: a pivotal opportunity to protect human rights and the environment.

IFI governance

Background

23 April 2025 | Minutes

Hidden debt: Tackling grand corruption in debt management to safeguard financing for development

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum on 23 April 2025 titled 'Hidden debt: tackling grand corruption in debt management to safeguard financing for development'.

IFI governance

Background

23 April 2025 | Minutes

Catalyzing climate finance in fragile contexts - What’s being done and what still needs doing?

Notes from the 23 April Civil Society Policy Forum session titled “Catalyzing climate finance in fragile contexts - What’s being done and what still needs doing?”

IFI governance

Background

23 April 2025 | Minutes

Decoding IMF accounting, unlocking the full potential of SDRs

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 23 April 2025, titled "Decoding IMF Accounting, unlocking the full potential of SDRs".

Accountability

News

15 April 2025

IFC ends investment in waste-to-energy incineration projects in Gujarat, India, following civil society campaign

While IFC’s withdrawal is welcome, civil society urges the Bank to stop funding WTE projects and move towards zero-waste solutions instead.

Finance

News

15 April 2025

FfD4 is a feminist issue

FfD4 civil society feminist workstream calls for gender and race equality, human rights and systemic change in the international financial architecture, while groups plan strategic convening in Morocco.

Finance

News

12 December 2024

IDA21 cobbles together $100 billion replenishment in context of wider aid cuts

Amid concerns about the policy package and in the face of global crises, IDA's 21st replenishment showed difficulty of mobilising donor finance amid elections and geopolitical tensions.

Finance

News

12 December 2024

BWIs use frozen Russian assets as part of $50 billion support to Ukraine

BWIs engineer creative ways to provide financial support to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as back up, in contrast to lack of support for debt-stricken African countries.