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WB/IMF roles

Finance

Analysis

BWP publishes essay series reflecting on the legacy of 75 years of IMF and World Bank policies and power.

Finance

Analysis

Bretton Woods at 75: A series of critical essays

Accountability

Analysis

While there is scope to improve IMF operations in all fragile states, ahead of the forthcoming publication of the IMF IEO review of IMF work in fragile states, there is one fundamental change it must make to transform its effectiveness in fragile states: wherever it is possible, it must be present. No country should be left out.

Accountability

Analysis

The IMF in insecure fragile states: why being absent should no longer be an option

IFI governance

Analysis

On the sidelines of this week's G20 summit, BRICS nations are expected to reveal details of how their proposed $100 billion alternative to the IMF will operate.

IFI governance

Analysis

BRICS without mortar

WB/IMF roles

Background

What are the main criticisms of the World Bank and the IMF?

The IMF and World Bank continue to be amongst the most relevant and significant powerful norm-setters, convenors, knowledge-holders and influencers of the international development and financial landscape. This Inside the Institutions sets-out some of the most common criticisms of the World Bank and IMF under three broad lenses: democratic governance, human rights and the environment.

Finance

News

Inequality crisis worsens as World Bank and IMF persist with failed policies

Two new CSO reports document inadequate response by states, the IMF and World Bank.

IFI governance

Analysis

Great Expectations a year on: IMF moving the needle on inequality but not yet the gear

One year after Oxfam study, IMF making progress on inequality agenda but still needs a fundamental shift

Finance

News

Fight Inequality Alliance prepares for Annual Meetings in Bali

Fight Inequality Alliance meets in Brazil to plan action against current shocking levels of inequality and prepare for World Bank and IMF October Annual meetings in Bali, Indonesia.

Conditionality

Analysis

World Bank report on fiscal adjustment in Brazil: questionable analysis; unfair policies

The World Bank’s report on public spending in Brazil raises serious questions about the methodology used and relevance of the report’s focus on fiscal consolidation in light of its own admission that the deterioration of Brazil’s fiscal situation is due principally to the recession.

IFI governance

Commentary

Bank and Fun(d)speak of the year 2017

Every year the Bretton Woods Project highlights some of the most farcical remarks of Fund and World Bank staff.

IFI governance

Analysis

Annual Meetings wrap-up: Kim turns to bankrupt ideas, while IMF tries to undo inequality it doesn't admit it helped cause

BWP's analysis of this year's IMF and World Bank annual meetings; hopeful growth forecasts tampered by medium-term concerns, with US anti-multilateralism finally hitting Bank and Fund.

Accountability

News

World Bank and IMF launch disclosure reviews

Civil society groups, painfully aware of information access problems at the World Bank and IMF, hope this year's reviews of transparency and disclosure will bring radical improvement.

Other news

Conditionality

Background

16 April 2016 | Minutes

IMF and World Bank’s Influence on Economic Policy Making in Developing Countries

Notes from a meeting at the IMF/World Bank CSO Forum at the 2016 Spring meetings, evaluating how well the World Bank and IMF have done on respecting the country ownership principle ten years after its international acceptance.

IFI governance

News

5 April 2012

2012 World Bank-IMF spring meetings schedule

Tentative schedule of the World Bank-IMF spring meetings in Washington DC, from 18 to 21 April, 2012.

Land

Background

13 March 2012 | Minutes

Notes of meeting between Stewart James, Alternate UK Executive Director to the World Bank, and NGOs

Civil society organisations met UK Executive Director to the World Bank and staff from the Department for International Development to discuss agriculture, land grabs, food security, the safeguards review process, the selection of the next World Bank president, the doing business indicators, and the debt sustainability framework.

Private Sector

News

7 February 2012

ICSID offers "impunity" for corporations

In October 2011 international coalition of civil society groups Seattle to Brussels Network held an international week of action against bilateral investment treaties.

Conditionality

News

21 November 2011

IFIs macroeconomic policy "anti-growth"

"Why have the policy tutors performed so miserably and the pupils so brilliantly?", wondered Professor John Weeks of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in an October article for Social Europe Journal.

IFI governance

21 November 2011

IMF's "trusted advisor" role to be scrutinised

The IMF's Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) has released an issues paper describing how it will assess whether the IMF has strengthened its 'trusted advisor' role since 2005.

WB/IMF roles

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