Knowledge Centre : Economy : International Financial Institutions
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- 2006 WTO Public Forum: What WTO for the 21st Century?
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In its 10 years, the WTO has acted as a forum in which Members could discuss their trade relations, negotiate new trade rules and settle their trade disputes. This forum addresses issues such as, what type of WTO would we like to see in the XXIst Century? Should WTO look like the organization that we already know? If not, then what changes can we usefully make? Bringing together insights from different trade groups, institutes, and organisations, ranging from Greenpeace International to the National Foreign Trade Council, this forum discusses issues from the Doha Rounds to sustainable development (WTO Public Forum, 25 September 2006).
http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/public_forum06_e.pdf
(Added: Fri Aug 10 2007 Hits: 121)
- A Game As Old As Empire
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AlterNet, February 16, 2005. The author of the gripping new book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, reveals how the U.S. became the world's largest superpower: by forcing developing countries into debt.
http://www.alternet.org/story/21245
(Added: Fri Feb 18 2005 Modified: Wed Jun 15 2005 Hits: 521)
- Aid for Trade roadmap 2008
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The proposed 2008 WTO Aid-for-Trade roadmap, featuring national and sub-regional Aid-for-Trade reviews in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific. This document got the green light from members on 25 February 2008 at a special session of the Committee on Trade and Development. (WTO, 26/2/08)
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/a4t_roadmap_feb08_e.doc
(Added: Tue Feb 26 2008 Hits: 53)
- Aiding oil, harming the climate : A Database of Public Funds for Fossil Fuels (pdf)
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This report describes the role of the World Bank and other international financial institutions have in reshaping the oil sectors in developing countries and providing development assistance to finance their operations. (Oil Change International, December 2007)
http://www.endoilaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/aidingoilreport.pdf
(Added: Tue Mar 04 2008 Hits: 44)
- Andean Development Corporation
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The Andean Development Corporation (Corporacion Andina de Fomento in Spanish) is a development bank mainly owned by countries of the Andean zone. This institution finances development projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, and supports government efforts in sustainable development, debt relief and capacity building. A good source of information for those interested in development projects within the Andean zone. The main version is in Spanish, but it also offers an english version.
(Added: Mon May 10 2004 Modified: Thu Sep 22 2005 Hits: 304)
- Arrears Clearance: Loan Laundering and the Case for Creditor Co-Responsibility
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This paper explores how the international community currently deals with arrears clearance operations, in particular to the international financial institutions. Currently, for all developing countries the total amount of external debt in arrears stood at US$130bn in 2003. The regions most in arrears difficulties are Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. This paper examines several recent cases of arrears clearance operations, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Haiti and Nigeria. Current approaches to the arrears problem only serve to support the skewed and highly conditional (re)engagement of countries with the international community. This perpetuates the debt-poverty and dependency trap many developing nations find themselves in. (Gail Hurley, Eurodad - European Network on Debt and Development, April 2006)
http://www.eurodad.org/uploadstore/cms/docs/arrears_clearance_final.pdf
(Added: Fri Jun 02 2006 Hits: 230)
- Bretton Woods Annual Meeting Reports
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Reports from the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Washington.(Bretton Woods Project, October 2007)
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/am2007
(Added: Tue Oct 30 2007 Hits: 60)
- Bretton Woods Project
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The Bretton Woods Project works as a networker, information-provider, media informant and watchdog to scrutinise and influence the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). Through briefings, reports and the bimonthly digest Bretton Woods Update, it monitors projects, policy reforms and the overall management of the Bretton Woods institutions with special emphasis on environmental and social concerns.
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org
(Added: Mon Aug 26 2002 Modified: Wed Jun 15 2005 Hits: 566)
- Eyes on International Financial Institutions (IFIs)
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Eyes on International Financial Institutions is a new information hub for independent films and videos on the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Regional Development Banks. It is a new and growing resource for film-makers, distributors and viewers, educators, broadcasters, film programmers, campaigners, journalists, activists - and everyone else.
http://www.ifiwatchnet.org/?q=en/node/56
(Added: Fri Nov 11 2005 Modified: Fri Mar 28 2008 Hits: 233)
- From the slave trade to 'free' trade : How trade undermines democracy and justice in Africa (pdf)
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This book questions whether trade in the era of globalisation can be 'fair' or 'just'. It draws on lessons from the slave trade and studies of the international finance institutions, providing insights into how free trade policies have a profoundly negative impact on the rights of communities, environmental sustainability and the development of democracy in Africa. (by Firoze Manji, Fahamu, 2007)
http://www.fahamu.org/downloads/tj_book_forweb.pdf
(Added: Thu Mar 06 2008 Hits: 137)
- Gender Action
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Gender Action, established in 2002, is a nonprofit global advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) promote gender equality and women's rights in all their investments worldwide.
(Added: Mon Mar 15 2004 Modified: Thu Jun 16 2005 Hits: 538)
- IFIwatchnet
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IFIwatchnet connects organisations worldwide which are monitoring international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the World Bank, the IMF, and regional development banks. IFIwatchnet is a new tool for networking and collaboration amongst the many civil society organisations which are monitoring and campaigning on the international financial institutions (IFIs).
(Added: Wed Dec 15 2004 Modified: Tue Dec 06 2005 Hits: 248)
- IMF and World Bank use of conditions under the microscope
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10th April 2005, Bretton Woods Project. Responding to stinging criticism from civil society and the Commission for Africa, the IMF and the Bank are under pressure for a fundamental rethinking of the use of conditionality. The results of a series of ongoing evaluations will be critical.
http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/article.shtml?cmd[126]=x-126-178200
(Added: Tue Apr 26 2005 Modified: Tue Jan 10 2006 Hits: 242)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)
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The International Finance Corporation (IFC) promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve people's lives. IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, DC. It shares the primary objective of all World Bank Group institutions: to improve the quality of the lives of people in its developing member countries.
(Added: Thu Nov 13 2003 Modified: Wed Jun 15 2005 Hits: 235)
- International Financial Institutions Latin American Monitor
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This initiative aims to contribute to the Latin American and global IFI campaigns for reform of the Bretton Woods institutions by posting a wide variety of reports and articles.
(Added: Fri Apr 21 2006 Hits: 168)
- Kicking the Habit: How the World Bank and the IMF are still addicted to attaching economic policy conditions to aid
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Despite numerous commitments to reform, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are still using their aid to make developing countries implement inappropriate economic policies, with the tacit approval of rich-country governments. These economic policy conditions undermine national policy-making, delay aid flows, and often fail to deliver for poor people. If the world is to make poverty history, this practice must be stopped. Aid must be conditional on being spent transparently and on reducing poverty, and nothing more.(Oxfam Briefing Paper, November 2006).
http://www.oxfam.org/en/files/bp96_kicking_the_habit_061127.pdf/download
(Added: Mon Jul 02 2007 Hits: 117)
- Long Due Reform? The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and Global Economic Governance 60 Years Later [PDF]
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A CIDSE Position Paper, August 2005. The International Financial Institutions (IFIs) are key players within the current architecture of global governance. Sixty years after the creation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, their role and their relationship with other key institutions such as the UN are being called into question more than ever before. In this, the sixtieth year of the existence of the IFIs, CIDSE, as in the past, continues to call for serious reconsideration of their role in a global governance architecture that, we hold, must be geared towards the promotion of the global common good.
http://www.cidse.org/docs/200508301120073185.pdf
(Added: Fri Nov 11 2005 Hits: 188)
- New Rules for Global Finance
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New Rules for Global Finance is a coalition of development, human rights, labor, environmental, and religious organizations and scholars dedicated to the reform of the global financial architecture in order to stabilize the world economy, reduce poverty and inequality, uphold fundamental rights, and protect the environment. Through technically expert and inclusive dialogues we analyze existing financial institutions and processes to propose alternatives that will bring about more equitable and environmentally responsible results.
(Added: Mon Jan 31 2005 Modified: Tue Dec 06 2005 Hits: 239)
- One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Ownership, PRSPs and IFI Conditionality (pdf)
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World Vision, 2004, by Angela Wood. A special report in the 60th year of the IMF/World Bank. PRSPs have largely failed to achieve the goal of effective country ownership, according to a new World Vision report released in April for the Spring Meetings, entitled 'One step forward, two steps back'. The report demonstrates how conditionalities, accompanied by the very real threat of closing the funding pipeline, have been used as a substitute for genuine ownership of reforms. It argues that conditionality is inherently contradictory to ownership, and is not an effective substitute for genuine commitment from governments to carry out reforms that have wide support. The report challenges the World Bank and IMF to take a broader view of ownership, and to broaden the range of economic policy options they are willing to consider. Their unwillingness to do this up to the present has been a major impediment to their ability to become the force for development and poverty reduction that they claim to be.
http://worldvision.org.nz/reports/onestepforward.pdf
(Added: Mon Jun 28 2004 Modified: Wed Apr 19 2006 Hits: 788)
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
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The OECD groups 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic government and the market economy. With active relationships with some 70 other countries, NGOs and civil society, it has a global reach. Best known for its publications and its statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, to trade, education, development and science and innovation. The OECD plays a prominent role in fostering good governance in the public service and in corporate activity. It helps governments to ensure the responsiveness of key economic areas with sectoral monitoring. By deciphering emerging issues and identifying policies that work, it helps policy-makers adopt strategic orientations. It is well known for its individual country surveys and reviews. The OECD produces internationally agreed instruments, decisions and recommendations to promote rules of the game in areas where multilateral agreement is necessary for individual countries to make progress in a globalised economy. Sharing the benefits of growth is also crucial as shown in activities such as emerging economies, sustainable development, territorial economy and aid. Dialogue, consensus, peer review and pressure are at the very heart of OECD. Its governing body, the Council, is made up of representatives of member countries. It provides guidance on the work of OECD committees and decides on the annual budget. It is headed by Donald J. Johnston, who has been Secretary-General since June 1, 1996.
(Added: Thu Oct 23 2003 Modified: Tue Aug 15 2006 Hits: 392)
- Reforming the Bretton Woods Institutions
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By Kunibert Raffer, International Development Economics Associates, May 9, 2005. This paper analyzes how the Bretton Wood institutions are violating their own constitution and also the rights of its members to impose liberalization measures on developing countries. The author argues that these institutions must be liable for the damage illegally inflicted on these countries.
http://www.networkideas.org/featart/may2005/fa09_Bretton_Woods.htm
(Added: Wed May 18 2005 Modified: Wed Jun 15 2005 Hits: 182)
- Report of the External Review Committee on Bank-Fund Collaboration
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The International Monetary Fund's work infringes on World Bank programs, and the IMF should focus more on macroeconomic areas and leave loans to poor countries to the Bank, an independent committee has urged. "The fund's financing activities in low-income countries is an area where it has moved beyond its core responsibilities and into activities that increase its overlap with the world of the Bank," said the committee, which was created by the IMF and the Bank and whose authors include several countries' current and former finance ministers. (External Review Committee on IMF-World Bank Collaboration)
http://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2007/022307.pdf
(Added: Thu Mar 08 2007 Modified: Fri Mar 09 2007 Hits: 183)
- South East Europe Development Watch
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South East Europe Development Watch (SEEDW) - formerly known as Stability Pact Watch - is a coalition of South East European environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) monitoring and campaigning on the investments made by international financial institutions (IFIs) and the European Union (EU). SEEDW is a project within CEE Bankwatch Network and its members are: For The Earth (Bulgaria); Terra Milleniul III (Romania); Eco-Sense (Macedonia); CEKOR (Serbia) and Green Action (Croatia).
(Added: Tue Oct 02 2007 Modified: Thu Oct 04 2007 Hits: 79)
- Square pegs, Round Holes [pdf 142.53 KB]
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This Action Aid briefing paper states that there is a fundamental contradiction between the between the need to greatly scale-up social spending to fight HIV/AIDS and what can actually be spent under the IMF's current low inflation monetary policy. The briefing paper argues that more money needs to be spent on health care in order for developing countries to achieve the MDGs
http://www.actionaidusa.org/pdf/SquarePegRoundHole108pdf.pdf
(Added: Fri Jan 13 2006 Modified: Mon Jul 02 2007 Hits: 222)
- Strategic Guide: Strategic tips for filing complaints with international financial institutions [PDF]
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Friends of the Earth International, April 2004. This brochure is designed to provide an overview of some strategic considerations at stake in deciding whether to .le a claim to the World Bank Inspection Panel, or to utilize any of the accountability mechanisms at other international .nancial institutions. It also provides guidance for claimants and their allies on navigating the process and strategic engagement after a claim has been filed.
http://www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/strategic_guide.pdf
(Added: Tue May 17 2005 Modified: Thu Jun 15 2006 Hits: 564)
