Bretton Woods Project highlightsCritical voices on the World Bank and IMFEvaluation faults Bank's 'same old formula' for public sector reforms- June 16, 2008 In May, the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) released its evaluation of Bank support for public sector reform, giving high marks for looking after the books, but failing grades for reforming the civil service and rooting out corruption.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561842 The World Bank and transport- June 16, 2008 Given that the World Bank's primary activity in its first decades of operation was financing infrastructure projects, the fact that the transport sector is the single largest sector for Bank lending should come as no surprise. However with the prevalence of concerns about underinvestment in social sectors, transport lending was on the decline in the late 90s and early part of this century. Now the pendulum is swinging back and transport sector lending is on the rise in both the public and privathttp://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561816 IFC's intermediaries neglect environment: evaluation- June 16, 2008 The Independent Evaluation Group found 'high development outcomes' in approximately two-thirds of projects funded by IFC-financed financial intermediaries (FI) which serve micro, small and medium enterprises.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561833 Turkey and the long decade with the IMF- June 16, 2008 In May Turkey ended its latest stand-by agreement with the IMF. To some this meant the long awaited declaration of autonomy for Turkey and the loss of the final "consumer" for the IMF. For others who adhere to the neoliberal orthodoxy, this meant the graduation of Turkey and the successful completion of the IMF programme. The reality is that neither is correct.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561814 Donor cartel undercuts finance for renewables- June 16, 2008 The World Bank and donors have finalised the design of the climate investment funds (CIFs) despite continued complaints over their governance and worries over their investment in non-renewable energy.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561826 Everything old is new again: Growth Commission rediscovers the state- June 16, 2008 The Commission on Growth and Development, a group of policy makers, business leaders and scholars, has warmed to state intervention and cooled towards unfettered market-led reforms.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561851 Agribusiness vs. food security- June 16, 2008 The causes of and remedies for the food crisis are hotly contested; how this rupture in the status quo is resolved will have decisive implications for the roles of the IFIs as well as more broadly for global food security and ecological sustainability.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561820 Upheaval planned for IMF technical assistance- June 16, 2008 The Fund has finally decided to revamp one of its three main pillars of activity, technical assistance, but the changes threaten country ownership over TA strategies.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561813 All change at the top of the Fund- June 16, 2008 With 13 of the IMF's 20 Washington-based departments facing a change of leadership, the IMF may be at its most malleable state ever, offering managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn a chance to put his imprint on the institution.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561798 World Bank and poverty debates (II): Poverty reduction claims vindicated- June 16, 2008 Two new World Bank working papers have rekindled the debate over how to count the poor, with the Bank asserting that even more people have been brought out of poverty in China than had previously been estimated.http://brettonwoodsproject.org/art.shtml?x=561848 |