BRETTON WOODS ® update

A DIGEST OF INFORMATION AND ACTION ON THE WORLD BANK AND IMF

• creating systematic coordination of World Bank relations with European positions, including enhanced links between parliaments. Parliamentarians can learn a lot parliamentarians enter new phase from each other about how best to increase the transparency and accountability of global institutions. WWW.BRETTONWOODSPROJECT.ORG World Bank interactions with parliamentarians have been increasing in recent years. For example, some Brazilian parlia- They have now developed further,with a critical French parliamentary report and a mentarians, working with NGO net- work Redes Brasil, have in recent major World Bank conference with parliamentarians in London. years encouraged the Senate Com- mittee on Economic Affairs to scru- The World Bank conference brought of the World Bank so that whatever each year on its activities in the Fund tinize public contracts for some together 70 parliamentarians from programmes are put in place are and Bank. The second such official external loans. The US Congress has 35 countries, including many who people-centred and bottom-up". report was produced by the French helped secure changes to World chair key parliamentary committees. It remains to be seen how the Treasury last summer. French NGOs Bank procedures, for example on It covered issues including the role steering group decides to take the net- led by Agir Ici, which campaigned suc- information disclosure. Parliamen- of civil society, trade talks, debt relief work forward, in particular what infor- cessfully to make the report public, tary influence can be particularly and corruption. This, the second mation will be presented to MPs welcomed its publication but accused strong at times when the Bank is such conference organized by the through the initiative's website and it of being too general and failing to requesting more funding for its Bank, established a new World Bank newsletter. One of the Bank's inten- analyse key controversial areas such International Development Associ- parliamentarians network. This tions in organizing the meetings was as structural adjustment impacts. Tav- ation (IDA). Inter-governmental aims to organize field trips and "to inform parliamentarians about the ernier's report, which was strongly negotiations on IDA are just about meetings, and exchange informa- Bank's role in poverty reduction and endorsed by the Commission des to start in earnest, giving an ideal tion on selected issues. convey its readiness to share its knowl- Finances in December, concurred with opportunity for MPs to debate the The Bank says its main motiva- edge resources". Unless balanced with the NGOs. He noted that "the policies Bank's effectiveness and future IMF ® 21 tions for this initiative are to inform a good feed of independent material, of the and the World Bank are not strategies. parliamentarians, exchange views this objective will worry some MPs. the only models for development" See related stories, p.3, p.6 and foster reflection on global chal- For example Yves Tavernier, Rappor- and that IMF policy recommendations

FEBRUARY/MARCH2001 lenges. Some Bank staff would prob- teur to the French parliament's Com- would not be politically acceptable in ably be keen to use the parliamentar- mission des Finances, recommended in France. It sets out a number of World Bank parliamentarians network ∑ ians network to counter public his recent report that: "the idea of detailed recommendations. www.worldbank.org/pnid criticism, promote its lines on key transforming the World Bank into a • the Bank and Fund should limit their Yves Tavernier report to Commission des policy debates and drive a wedge Knowledge Bank should be opposed". missions and respect the roles of UN orga- Finances MP NGO ∑ between s and s. But the Lon- The Commission des Finances report nizations; www.assemblee-nationale.fr/ don meeting attracted a range of MPs is the culmination of increased French 2/rap-info/i2801.htm who are clearly not prepared to parliamentary scrutiny of the Bank • other ministries, parliamentarians and become a World Bank fan club. Char- and IMF since the Asia financial crisis. civil society groups should be involved French Treasury Report ∑ ity Kaluki Ngilu, a Kenyan MP elected When the French government with the Ministry of Finance in guiding www.finances.gouv.fr to the network's steering group, requested more money for the IMF in interventions in the institutions; French CSO analysis MP described her aims: " s can create 1998 the parliament agreed only on • a parliamentary delegation to the eco- ∑www.globenet.org/ifi checks and balances on the activities condition that the government report nomic institutions should be created; µ [email protected]

“The PRSP has a paternalistic character, and lacks a vision of development” – page 4 World Bank to push for more adjustment lending ...... 2 Why officials and NGOs disagree on poverty analysis ...... 5 Lack of impact assessments constrains policy choices ...... 2 UK government launches globalization strategy ...... 6 Proposals on environmental impacts of adjustment ...... 2 UK parliament scrutinizes IMF ...... 6 New research on African PRSPs ...... 3 Davos and “anti-Davos” ...... 6 Adjustment lending bad news for poor ...... 3 Pesticide companies chat with World Bank ...... 6 Dakar 2000: from resistance to alternatives ...... 3 Bank forest policy process clash ...... 7 Bank strategy on governance ...... 3 Banking on knowledge ...... 7 Language a barrier in Cambodia PRSP ...... 4 Bank net Gateway latest ...... 7 Local leaders criticize Nicaragua's Interim PRSP ...... 4 Health policy attacked ...... 8 Critiquing social capital ...... 4 Indian power sector employees protest privatization ...... 8 Is capital account liberalization good for the poor? ...... 5 New annual World Bank civil society forum ...... 8 Update back issues, plus reports, links and more at: www.brettonwoodsproject.org BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001

grammes, even those made by World Bank to push for more Bank staff, such as the Easterly report (see p.3). No mechanisms are proposed for improving the adjustment lending poverty focus of adjustment lend- ing nor how this will be moni- tored. A draft World Bank report outlining experience with structural adjustment lending proposes The paper is intended to feed that such lending should be increased. The Bank’s operational directive on structural into the stalled process for redraft- ing the Bank’s Structural Adjust- adjustment currently suggests it should not comprise more than 25 per cent of total lending, ment Operational Directive (OD8.6). although it has in fact been over 60 per cent in recent years after the Asia crisis. External consultation on the redraft could start in April at the Kampala NGO meeting of participants in the Struc- Many s, and the US govern- easy way to do so. The draft report adjustment program to efforts to tural Adjustment and Participatory ment, oppose an increase in adjust- suggests that “…as adjustment directly reduce or mitigate poverty”. Review Initiative (SAPRI), and finish ment lending because unlike pro- lending consists of policy support Another review found that “only by the Annual meetings in late Sep- ject loans, adjustment/programme for country programs based on the seven per cent of the adjustment NGO CAS tember. s are keen to know how loans do not require social and [Country Assistance Strategy], loans surveyed included specific this process will address changes to environmental impact assess- use of the finely articulated safe- indicators for monitoring social and NGO the Bank’s operational procedures ments. Some s would, however, guard and fiduciary rules that gov- environmental impacts”. The draft needed to implement the rhetoric support a shift to more adjustment ern investment lending would report thus argues that “there is sig- around the new Poverty Reduction lending if ex ante social and envi- likely not be appropriate.” nificant room for improvement in Strategy process and the commit- ronmental impact assessments The draft paper makes little men- the treatment of social and environ- ment to achieve the 2015 Interna- were made a requirement. The Bank tion of the need for impact assess- mental issues in adjustment lend- tional Development Targets. ® is under pressure from middle ments before adjustment loans are ing”. The retrospective is expected income borrowers, in particular, to agreed. It does note, however, that a to go to the Board in February after Bank contact on adjustment review: reduce the costs associated with recent Bank study “finds that less further redrafting. NGO Ulrich Zachau; project preparation by diluting its than twenty per cent of a sample of Some s are critical that the µ [email protected] safeguard policies. Switching to recent loans clearly [targeted] vul- paper does not address any of the adjustment lending would be an nerable groups and linked the many criticisms of adjustment pro- ∑www.saprin.org ß ß Lack of impact assessments Proposal on environmental impacts constrains policy choices of adjustment

Due to a lack of information on responsible. Attention also needs to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) irreversibility. This implies difficult impacts associated with adjustment be given to improving ex post have set out new proposals for judgements, so alternative options reforms, there is still no discussion assessments. The Bank’s Operations assessing the environmental conse- are to use a checklist or matrix which of realistic policy choices and trade- Evaluation Department reviews all quences of macro-economic reforms. can tabulate impacts without using offs in Poverty Reduction Strategies, completed programmes but these The proposed Environmental Impact numbers. Finally the report suggests according to an Oxfam International reports are not made public, whilst Assessment (EIA) process aims to producing various diagrams which letter sent to the heads of the Bank the IMF does not produce a formal “ensure that reforms are designed trace causes and effects using boxes and Fund in December. assessment. “While the commit- and implemented with full aware- and arrows. “Inertia” in taking steps to under- ment to do prior analysis of adjust- ness of their consequences, both The EIA team should suggest ways take impact assessments means that ment lending is encouraging” positive and negative”. to reduce environmental impacts and “PRGF programmes are being agreed observes Karen Joyner, Christian Designed to move decisively put in place a system to monitor the that are not different to ESAFs (see Aid, “we should not lose sight of the beyond orthodox models which rely outcome of reforms according to pub- Acronym Bust Box, p.3). In addition, importance of evaluations of actual on simple assumptions about prices licly agreed criteria. This would although the Bank is developing a impacts later on.” Open debate and economic behaviour, it uses increase public accountability of the PRSC to provide a more coherent around what works will ensure bet- “both quantitative and qualitative government and of agencies like the poverty focused framework for its ter design of programmes and will tools of economics and political econ- World Bank and IMF. lending and operations, it remains give local communities more real omy to understand the changes Whilst the tools and concepts are unclear to what extent impact issues to discuss, she explains. reforms will bring”. very useful, the report appears to assessments will be conducted.” Another aspect important to The EIA teams should include underestimate the bureaucratic, impact assessment and monitoring both economists, environmental political and analytical hurdles to Still no discussion is whether stakeholders have access and social scientists. They should changing current planning prac- Oxfam propose that impact to documents which detail the con- also include participants from gov- tices. Recent World Bank studies assessments be carried out at the ditions to be imposed on govern- ernment departments, civil society show that only 37 per cent of adjust- national level by governments on ments in exchange for loans. US, UK and academia. The team should first ment loans contained even a para- their poverty reduction strategies and Ghanaian NGOs are circulating conduct a scoping exercise. In the graph talking about environmental with separate assessments by the a letter calling for an end to World case of agriculture this might trace impacts. And the macroeconomic Bank and Fund on their own respec- Bank and IMF secrecy regarding links between the promotion of models being developed within the tive programmes. The IFIs’ assess- structural adjustment conditional- exports, expansion of the agricul- Bank for use in PRSP countries are ments ought to be made publicly ity. The letter will be sent to the tural frontier, soil degradation and still very reliant on orthodox eco- available at least six months in World Bank and IMF Boards in early biodiversity loss. nomic assumptions. ® advance of annual reviews or loan April. Groups can co-sign the letter Scoping would be followed by an approvals to ensure that time is until March 23. ® in-depth assessment. Possible meth- Environmental Impact Assessment for available for public discussion. ods for analysing likely impacts Macroeconomic Reform Programmes The Bank may soon begin dis- include producing balance sheets to WWF MPO,2000 For the Oxfam letter contact cussions on ex ante impact assess- outline likely environmental gains µ [email protected] µ [email protected] ments but it is not known what out- and losses. Environmental effects side consultation there will be nor For the conditions letter,contact can be ranked according to factors ∑www.brettonwoodsproject.org/ which Bank department will be µ [email protected]. such as probability, significance and update/18/18a.html#10 2 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001 ß ß New research on African PRSPs Adjustment lending Dakar 2000: A study for the Strategic Partnership for Africa of eight is “bad news” for from resistance to countries provides a useful summary of experience to date poor: Bank study alternatives with producing interim PRSPs. An internal Bank report has con- In December a meeting of cam- PRSP PRSP cluded that the poor are better off paigners in Dakar, Senegal assessed The national context in which a ing from the s may lie more in without structural adjustment. The Africa’s debt crisis and the human is prepared is an obvious factor for the second-round effects, or spin- report, The Effect of IMF and World Bank effects of structural adjustment. Con- determining the quality and owner- offs from the initial exercises, than PRSP Programmes on Poverty, by William East- demning the neoliberal model, par- ship of a . Generally the new in the immediate results of the con- erly, finds that World Bank and IMF ticipants—mainly representing the process has not been regarded as an sultations conducted.” The paper adjustment lending “means that eco- Jubilee movement from Northern imposition of new conditionality. Yet notes that further investigation is nomic expansions benefit the poor and Southern countries—high- some governments have felt that it is needed to ascertain why there is lit- less under structural adjustment. This lighted alternative approaches. The unreasonable and inconsistent with tle parliamentary involvement in could be dangerous because it gives Southern debt activists stressed that: the principle of “ownership” for the the processes. the poor less of a stake in overall good IFI • third world debt is illegitimate and must s to insist on new processes, The paper identifies four areas economic performance. This might be totally cancelled without conditions; putting previous efforts to develop requiring further attention: increase the support of the poor for poverty strategies aside. This ques- • the importance of recognizing that populist experiments at redistribut- • structural adjustment programmes of tion will be looked at further in PRSP processes are political; ing income”, warns Easterly. the IMF and World Bank, including phase two of the research. The paper does not fully resolve PRSPs must be rejected; The report notes that staff who • the complexity of “national ownership” why the poor benefit less from adjust- live in borrowing countries have a • creditors should not place conditional- • issues around the question of the PRSP ment but speculates that they may be more consistent position on ities on the debt cancellation process; timetable; and ill-placed to take advantage of new national ownership than staff on vis- opportunities created by structural • ecological aspects of debt should be iting missions. In other countries, • the overarching importance of moder- adjustment reforms because they considered. staff have given “mixed signals…That ating new policy thinking with realism. have neither the skills or financial is, the same institutions are per- Participants also discussed how to ∑www.spa-psa.org resources to benefit from high-tech- achieve “life without debt” after the ceived as talking national ownership nology jobs and cheaper imports. ® on the one hand, while ‘talking Jubilee 2000 campaign. With the fail- A new PRSP newsletter is to be produced by turkey’ with orthodox conditionali- ure of the G7, the IMF and the World the Bank.To subscribe: ∑www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/ ties on the other.” Bank to accept demands for total can- µ [email protected] staffp/2000/00-00/e.pdf Donors have been slow to change cellation, Jubilee South are planning their behaviour and “remain a cause to build social movements in their for concern”. Possible reasons include Poverty process acronyms countries to get their governments to doubts about the validity and sus- refuse to pay their illegitimate debts. tainability of the process, continuing PRS Poverty Reduction Strategy The Dakar Manifesto, issued at PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper the conference, favours globaliza- competition between donors, doubts IPRSP Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper about the merits of flexible budget PRGF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility tion based on solidarity among support and a programme approach PRSC Poverty Reduction Support Credit people, giving priority to meeting to poverty focussed aid. SAL Structural Adjustment Loan basic human needs. It calls for a The report finds it extremely hard SAPRIStructural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiativereview of external borrowing poli- to assess government commitment CDF Comprehensive Development Framework cies, and what loans are used for. to the strategic prioritization of CAS Country Assistance Strategy When loans are necessary, it calls poverty reduction but notes that NSSD National Strategy for Sustainable Development for greater discussion by parlia- governments have assigned leader- ESAF Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility ments. It also stresses the impor- SPA Strategic Partnership for Africa ship to senior officials and institu- tance of promoting home-grown tions. Often PRSP/poverty reduction For more: solutions to development rather processes are now located in the ∑www.devinit.org/glossary.htm#Glossary than a “universal model.” ® ∑www.brettonwoodsproject.org/faq/gloss finance ministry. ∑ Government capacity has been www.imf.org/external/np/term/index.asp?index=eng&index_langid=1 ∑www.jubileesouth.net usefully enhanced in some countries by tapping into independent con- sultancy and academic expertise. “In many cases, the capacity probably Kyrgyzstan land Bank strategy on G24 report on IFI does exist to produce a PRSP using nationals of the country.” moratorium lifted governance governance agendas In more advanced institutional The five-year moratorium on the sale and The World Bank has published a new strat- The Group of 24 Southern countries pub- reforms such as in national budget, purchase of land in Kyrgyzstan will be lifted. egy on governance. It recognizes that the lished a research paper on ‘Governance-related public-expenditure management, It was one of the conditions set down by a Bank’s record is weak in this area and that conditionalities of the International Financial sector programming and policy mon- recent IMF mission for resuming loans to reforming public institutions is technically Institutions’. It questions whether the IFIs itoring systems, the PRSP approach is the country. and politically complex. The paper outlines have the mandate, the comparative advan- “more easily accepted”. Phase two of But at the same time, President Askar the new types of governance work the tage and the competency to justify imposing the SPA study will examine what Akaev stipulated in an address to parlia- Bank is engaged in. For example not governance-related conditionalities. It raises impact PRSP preparation is having on ment in December that restrictions are directly supplying infrastructure or services concerns that IMF and World Bank country the pace and effectiveness of these needed to preclude the purchase of land by but “helping build institutions to encour- strategy papers are often full of faddish complimentary reforms. foreign citizens and companies and to age public and private actors to provide ideas, not realistic priorities. The failure to Participation in the Interim PRSPs impose a tax that would prevent the emer- services”. The report proposes new survey acknowledge external factors including lack has in some cases been less than in gence of rich landowners. Only persons who techniques and studies, new staff and con- of transparency at the institutions them- earlier efforts to formulate poverty have lived in rural areas for a minimum of tinued discussions with outsiders. selves will be major barriers to improvement. reduction strategies. The paper two years will be eligible to buy land, but hypothesizes “that the potential for there are concerns about how impoverished Reforming Public Institutions and Strength- ∑www.g24.org/publicat.htm institutionalization of more partici- farmers would manage to do so. ening Governance,World Bank,2000 ∑www.brettonwoodsproject.org/ patory and democratic forms aris- ∑www.worldbank.org/publicsector briefings/wdr/wbs/pdf.html 3 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001 ß ß Language a barrier in Cambodia PRSP Local leaders criticize Nicaragua’s Interim PRSP

Insufficient time and a failure to in Khmer, and with the donors (not The IMF has approved Nicaragua’s This analysis has not, however, write documents in the national lan- the Cambodians) puzzling over the plans to fight poverty despite criti- been integrated into the process for guage limited the opportunity for meaning of the translation and the cisms from local leaders. The deci- producing the national Interim NGO involvement in Cambodia’s strange concepts used.” sion will release $26.1 million of IMF PRSP. The local government leaders Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper Peterson identified several areas loans as part of a three-year $138.3 sent a letter to James Wolfensohn, (PRSP) process, according to the NGO for action in order to achieve a “truly million economic programme World Bank president, in December, Forum on Cambodia, which includes consultative” process: signed in March 1998. “In complet- raising concerns about the lack of local and international NGOs. ing the full PRSP, it will be important municipal and NGO participation in • representatives of diverse sectors of civil The NGOs received support from to intensify the consultations with the development of the Interim society—not just NGOs—should be the UNDP to hire a consultant, which civil society, strengthen the under- PRSP. The PRSP process is supposed included; “was successful in giving ownership lying macroeconomic framework to take place in collaboration with to NGOs in the process of building • full information disclosure should take and further prioritize expenditure,” the Economic and Social Planning NGO and civil society consensus,” place prior to the consultation; said IMF Deputy Managing Director Council, CONPES, whose member- remarked Russell Peterson of the Eduardo Aninat. ship is decided by the government. • draft documents should be made read- NGO Forum, speaking at a meeting Local leaders are critical that par- “The government has not consid- ily available, in Khmer language, and with in November 2000. Peterson com- ticipatory local processes have been ered the amendments proposed by sufficient time for comment; mented, however, that the technical ignored by the government. Last members of CONPES. The latest draft support was recieved too late and • the recommendations made by CSOs year, a local PRSP was developed by of the interim PRSP was developed that “there has been insufficient should be included in a publicly available four rural municipalities in the by the Technical Secretariat of the contact between government and formal record of the proceedings of any northern part of the León region, Presidency, SETEC, in cooperation NGOs to date.” consultation; with broad participation of democ- with World Bank employees. It was ratically elected community leaders written in English and sent directly Serious questions • the government should be given ade- and representatives of local organi- to Washington bypassing CONPES quate time and resources to consider and, All drafts of the Interim PRSP zations. The local governments led and not made public until weeks where appropriate, integrate the ideas (IPRSP) up to the eighth and final the process, facilitated by the Danish later” notes the letter. and contributions of civil society into the draft were written in English. A NGO Ibis, which included several “We agree with the high priority strategy. Khmer translation of the final draft public workshops and was approved of fighting poverty,” remark the prepared for the Council of Minis- by a gathering of more than 160 leaders, “nevertheless we are con- ters had not yet been released to For the NGO/CSO report for the PRSP community leaders and representa- cerned because the content of the NGOs. “This raises serious ques- ∑go.to/ngoforum tives of the four municipalities. Nicaraguan interim PRSP is in our tions about country ownership of opinion nothing more than a con- the IPRSP. The choice of language ß tinuation of traditional structural can exclude important government adjustment programmes, endowed decision-makers, limit civil society World Bank gives grants to Palestine with social funds, guaranteed by the participation, impose foreign ways PRGF. In other words the interim of thinking, and give foreign PRSP has a paternalistic character, donors an inordinate amount of The World Bank has provided impose further burdens on the and lacks a vision of development power to influence the final out- US$12m in grants to Palestine to Palestinian Authority,” Saba said. which in the long term could liber- come”, said Peterson. “We found help offset the effects of the eco- Unemployment is running at 40 ate Nicaragua from a dependence on that Cambodians only began to be nomic crisis caused by the Israeli per cent and poverty rates were pro- foreign aid and indebtedness.” ® fully included in the discussions blockade. The World Bank director jected to reach 32 per cent by the and debates of the NGO Forum for Palestine, Joseph Saba, described end of 2000. For a copy of the letter and the PRSP when Khmer was made the main the action as “highly unusual” Commentators have questioned Leon Norte language of discourse. A truly because the bank usually provides why other countries facing high µ [email protected] country-owned PRSP process would loans rather than grants. “However, rates of unemployment and under- entail drafting the document solely the severe economic shock affecting employment and poverty should For the Interim PRSP in Khmer, discussions between the Palestinian economy calls for a not also receive grants to prevent ∑www.imf.org/external/np/prsp/ government and civil society solely rapid response that should not “further burdens”. ® 2000/nic/01/index

Kenya faces new aid Bolivian development IMF critical of Indonesian Critiquing social capital embargo processes decentralization In January the IMF and World Bank threat- A new paper examines the different devel- The IMF is critical of the Indonesian’s This book by Ben Fine, Professor of Economics ened to cut off Kenya from more than $450 opment framework processes in Bolivia government’s decentralization plans, at SOAS, London, comprehensively critiques million in aid as a result of a parliamentary and how they interrelate. The country has which it believes could lead to excessive the theory and application of the concept of bill on interest rate controls. The Bank was been a pilot country for a range of donor borrowing by regional governments. The social capital. This term is now used to discuss also concerned by a bill that could halt strategies, including the Comprehensive government is in talks with the IMF to a vast range of issues and is often linked to dis- efforts to reform the country’s civil service. Development Framework, PRSP and find ways to implement its new regional cussions of civil society. Social capital featured Two other bills expected in the Kenyan par- National Strategy for Sustainable Develop- autonomy law. The IMF, apparently frus- prominently in the Poverty World Develop- liament seek to introduce price controls on ment. It finds that the relationship trated by the political situation and the ment Report’s “empowerment” sections. Fine petroleum products and abolish fuel and between the initiatives is confused and slow pace of reforms, has withheld a loan argues that social capital is part of the attempt foreign-exchange adjustment levies on says certain key documents are not avail- installment of US$440m. Local media by World Bank social theorists to become electricity bills. If the donors punish the able to civil society. report that Indonesian President taken seriously by Bank economists. But social Kenyan government, key poverty allevia- Abdurrahman Wahid said that the IMF capital “compromises with established doc- tion programs in the country might be Bolivia’s National Dialogue 2000–national “must learn the art of compromise”. trines, whilst absorbing and neutralizing more derailed. development strategies, international radical and coherent alternatives”. donor initiatives and civil society partici- See IFIs Update,Down To Earth µ [email protected] pation, Mary Painter,WWF-UK, 2000 ∑www.gn.apc.org/dte Social Capital Versus Social Theory ∑www.nssd.net µ [email protected] Ben Fine, Routledge,2001 4 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001

a policy and empirical vacuum at ß Is capital account liberalization the moment, it seems to me that the next couple of years are going G8 summit to include good for the poor? to be very important for seeing an NGO inputs improvement in the quality of the analysis of some of these impacts The next G8 summit will take place in Experts gathered in Oxford in January to discuss the linkages and certainly I think that there are Genoa, Italy in July 2001. The Italian between capital account liberalization (CAL) and poverty expectations for the Fund and Fund Presidency of the G8 has announced programmes. A lot of us are going to four priority areas for the summit: reduction at a meeting organized by Bretton Woods Project and be looking for some of these ques- • global public goods; Oxfam-GB and sponsored by the UK’s Department for tions to be opened up.” In January at the Asia-Europe • democratization of governance; International Development (DFID). Meeting (ASEM) in Japan, Horst • poverty reduction beyond debt relief; IMF Kohler, Managing Director com- • global financial architecture. Focussing on periods of capital financial cycles, and is there evidence that mented that, “Given the mixed inflow, participants from NGOs, the poor benefit less than proportionately experience to date, I do see a need Specific topics likely to receive atten- academia and the international during booms and lose more than propor- for further research and analysis.” tion include a relaunch of trade CAL talks, an international program institutions discussed whether tionately during recessions? However, whilst still arguing that HIV AIDS actually was necessary to attract “…the benefits of carefully prepared against / , the digital divide • To the extent that international finan- and a review of the roles of the G8, new capital and how it could be cial liberalization leads to capital inflows, integration into the global financial IMF WTO directed to pro-poor sectors and system outweigh the risks” he World Bank, and . what are the consequences of these flows The Italian government is keen industries. In periods of rapid out- for wages and employment, especially in warned that “…we should also draw NGO flow, the participants noted that a lesson from the recent crises in to ensure some involvement in those regions and sectors where the poor summit preparations and has whilst the poor were hit less hard live and work? emerging markets that in some they were less able to recover from cases, there was clearly overly-rapid launched a Genoa Non Governmen- • What are the consequences for fiscal tal Initiative run by research insti- crises. Participants suggested that capital account liberalization.” In the NGO there may be an asymmetric impact policy of open international financial mar- coming months, the IMF staff will tutions and representatives. CAL kets, especially in terms of how expendi- Four working groups will facilitate of with the rich benefiting more be reviewing liberalization experi- NGO in good times and the poor suffer- tures are financed? ences in a number of countries in input from international s on: ing more in bad. • What if anything do we know about the order to begin distilling more • poverty reduction strategies Participants concluded that there consequences of financial openness for the detailed, practical suggestions on • finance for development and debt relief was a dearth of evidence on the link- poorest countries in the world which now sequencing. It is not yet known • international governance and WTO ages and that a priority should be attract almost no private capital flows? whether these studies will examine reform ® to undertake country level case • Does the “policy discipline” imposed by poverty impacts. • environment. studies. Several questions were financial openness weaken the government’s Italian NGO networks will also orga- highlighted for further research: ability to have pro-poor fiscal policies? A transcript of the meeting will soon be nize a public forum on 20 July. ® • What are the mechanisms through • What are the implications of the available at which the poor might gain or lose from answers of each of these questions for policy? ∑www.brettonwoodsproject.org ∑www.genoa-g8.it international financial integration? Rachel Turner, DFID, commented, ∑www.imf.org/external/np/ NGO Initiative (Marco Zupi): • Who gains and loses over the course of “Although we seem to be in a bit of speeches/2001/011301 µ m.zupi@flashnet.it

ß ily into starvation, or to pull children out of school. Group B members are Why officials and NGOs disagree on poverty analysis also often concerned whether eco- nomic growth can be sustained in the long-term given current rates of Ravi Kanbur, who resigned as lead nomic analysts and academics (par- which argue that the proportion of resource depletion and the earth’s author of the World Bank’s Poverty ticularly those trained in the Anglo- people living below the poverty line limited carrying capacity. Group A World Development Report last Saxon tradition), economic policy has fallen. The paper gives the exam- tends, in contrast to be techno- May, has produced a paper on the managers and operational man- ple of the Ghana Living Standards optimistic disagreements which surround agers in the development banks as Survey. The headline poverty ratios This non-technical 15-page paper debates on poverty. The reflections well as the financial press. Group B produced from such surveys often will make interesting reading for are based on Kanbur’s worldwide includes analysts and advocates in fail to capture the value of public ser- NGO many people working on poverty. consultations during the 18 months s, people in some of the UN spe- vices. So, for example: “if the bus ser- Whether the gulf between camps A that he was in charge of the WDR cialized agencies, aid ministries in vice is cancelled, the health post runs and B can be bridged will partly process. The paper discusses the the North and social sector min- out of drugs, or the teacher does not depend on whether Group A mem- gulf between how officials and istries in the South and non-econo- turn up to teach, it will not show up”, bers can move beyond their negotiat- NGOs understand poverty. mist researchers. leading to a gulf in what is observed ing rather than listening mindset. Kanbur, now back at Cornell Uni- Kanbur points to differences in by people on the ground and what Kanbur finds that: “especially among versity, lists the following major dis- perspective and framework on three is understood by officials who only some parts of the IFIs and the G7 Trea- agreements on economic policy: key features which affect assess- read surveys. National poverty count suries the tendency is for the policy “the pace and sequencing of fiscal ments of the consequences of eco- statistics also often hide wide varia- messaging—for example on trade and adjustment, monetary and interest nomic policy. These features are tions in outcomes for different openness— to be sharp and hard, for rate policy, exchange rate regimes, market structure, aggregation and regions or population groups. fear that to do otherwise wouldbe trade and openness, internal and time horizon. Group A tends to view Group A typically adopts a read as a sign of weakness by ‘the external financial liberalization markets as neutral instruments, medium term perspective while other side’”. ® including deregulation of capital while Group B finds them riddled Group B is more focussed on the flows, and the scale and methods of with power relations and therefore short run and the very long run. Economic Policy, Distribution and Poverty: large scale privatization of state often failing to benefit the poor. Group A mainly addresses the five The Nature of Disagreements owned enterprises”. Group A also tends to view the to ten year consequences of policies, Ravi Kanbur,December 2000. He depicts two stylized groups. consequences of economic policy in while Group B is worried about Group A contains people who work highly aggregated terms. Many in short term consequences of eco- ∑www.people.cornell.edu/ in finance ministries, many eco- Group B mistrust poverty analyses nomic policy which can drive a fam- pages/sk145/ 5 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001 ß ß ß UK government launches globalization Davos and UK parliament strategy “anti-Davos” scrutinizes IMF

The UK white paper on globaliza- The government has committed The World Economic Forum, held In January the UK Treasury released tion—endorsed by the entire UK Gov- to link its bilateral Country Strategy 25-28 January 2001, saw many of the its second Annual Report to Parlia- ernment—was published in Decem- Papers to the Poverty Reduction Strat- world’s business and political lead- ment on the Activities of the IMF. ber. The report contains some useful egy Papers, and “will continue to ers convene in Davos, Switzerland. Bretton Woods Project welcomed recommendations, but promises few encourage the World Bank and IMF to The Forum, renowned as a meeting the report, which summarizes the specific actions. In a submission to make the necessary changes to their where behind-the-scenes deals are UK’s priorities and major policy dis- the International Development Com- own structures and working methods struck, said it wanted to “move to a cussions in the IMF, but suggested mittee, Forest People’s Programme in a way consistent with their com- more active role as a catalyst for the several areas for improvement. commented that “our overall impres- mitment to the PRS process.” global agenda”. These include: sion of the white paper is that it is Acknowledging that environmen- An international NGO coalition also strong analytically in identifying the tal degradation can harm long-term held a “Public Eye on Davos” meeting • providing references to other Treasury obstacles to effective poverty reduc- development prospects, the paper to challenge the World Economic policy and research papers; NGO tion, but either weak or vague regard- observes that, “it is important that Forum. “ s will no longer accept a • clearly state the UK’s position on all ing concrete strategies. [Poverty Reduction Strategies] are private body funded by 2000 large cor- key Board decisions; The paper identifies foreign pri- sustainable and integrate environ- porations to draw up road maps for vate capital flows as “an essential ele- mental concerns. The World Bank • outline the UK’s priorities for the next year and a time-line for advancing them; ment of a strategy to speed up sus- needs to strengthen its capacity to NGOs will continue to tainable development and poverty take account of sustainable develop- • summarize the views of stakeholders reduction”, although it notes that ment in supporting poverty reduc- challenge corporate road- IMF outside the IMF decision making process only a small proportion of these tion strategies. And the must be shows like the WEF and point to sources where alternative flows are invested in activities which aware of these linkages in designing analysis and information can be obtained; benefit the poor. The paper observes their programme.” Jolanda Piniel, Berne Declaration that, “It is essential therefore that The Global Environment Facility • summarize what input has been reforms to attract financial flows be is identified as a good example of the global future,” commented Peter sought from sources outside the Treasury, complemented by other reforms. The cooperation on international devel- Bosshard of Swiss advocacy group, eg, Southern governments, academics, paper suggests that “road maps” opment. The paper proposes a 50 per the Berne Declaration.“And we object NGOs and the private sector, into UK pol- should be produced to guide coun- cent increase in GEF resources. to government officials and interna- icy formulation processes. tries on the speed of capital account Finally the paper suggests a num- tional organizations discussing issues • demonstrate how the Treasury is col- liberalization and associated reforms. ber of reforms to give developing behind closed doors.” laborating with other government depart- It is not clear what these will include countries a more “effective voice” in The World Social Forum convened ments, such as DFID, to ensure consistency; or who will produce them. To take international institutions, including: simultaneously in Porto Alegre, forward work on codes and standards • the IMF should make more effort to Brazil under the theme “The World The Treasury Committee later heard in developing countries, the govern- is Not a Market”. It brought together evidence from Stephen Pickford, UK share analysis and build capacity for dia- WB IMF ment will establish a new technical logue with developing countries; representatives from 122 countries, and Executive Director, on assistance facility. including trade union leaders, politi- the IMF’s work and future agenda in Whilst noting that “IMF pro- • the relationship between the Multi- cians, community leaders, youth and January. The discussions and sub- grammes should take better account lateral Development Banks’ boards and indigenous activists. The Brazil meet- missions to the committee from the of their impact on the lives of the managements should be improved; ing also included a World Parliamen- Bretton Woods Project and other NGO poor”, the paper says the UK gov- • there should be open and competitive tary Forum which brought together s made will soon be available on ® ernment does “not agree with those processes for selecting heads of the IFIs. parliamentarians to discuss a range the web. who argue that the IMF’s role in low of topics such as market deregula- income countries should pass to the ∑www.globalisation.gov.uk tion, indebtedness and speculative ∑www.parliament.uk/commons/ Bank”, and “we also believe that financial transactions. ® selcom/treahome.htm The Forest Peoples Programme submission there is an important role for IMF µ [email protected] ∑ ∑www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pdf/ medium-term lending in middle www.davos2001.ch µ 2001/imf_2201.pdf income countries in order to tackle A summary of NGO responses is at [email protected] deep-rooted structural reform.” ∑www.bond.org.uk/advocacy/ ∑www.forumsocialmundial.org.br ∑www.brettonwoodsproject.org

Protests against Bank Earth Summit 2002 New report on global Pesticide companies meeting in India —A New Deal warming chat with World Bank On 17 January 150 people were arrested in A new book with ideas, experiences and Scientists from 99 nations issued a report in A closed-door meeting between CEOs of Bhopal while marching against World Bank expectations in preparation for next year’s late January that predicted severe climate leading pesticide/biotech companies and and Asian Development Bank policies. The World Summit on Sustainable Develop- change. Robert Watson, chairman of the World Bank President James Wolfensohn in Banks had convened for a Development ment, Johannesburg. The book offers Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change early December received strong opposition Forum meeting organized by the Madhya analysis on critical sustainable development and chief science adviser to the World Bank from Pesticide Action Network North Amer- Pradesh government. British Development issues and examines the reasons for slow said “the poor in developing countries will ica and 14 other NGOs. NGOs criticized the Minister Clare Short was also present. The progress so far in addressing many issues. be the most affected” mainly through Bank’s decision to exclude public observers Jan Sangarsh Morcha (forum of Madhya Chapters are contributed from representa- droughts and other disasters. In the most and to explore partnership opportunities Pradesh people’s organizations) wrote to tives of government, the UN, trade unions extreme projections the report said melting with companies which have notoriously her opposing “the anti-people policies, pro- and NGOs. The book’s final section is on polar ice could raise sea levels by up to three poor track records on environmental issues. jects and processes that are sought to be Reforming International Institutions. meters over the next 1,000 years. The report thrust on the people of this state and is the most authoritative evidence yet to Jessica Hamburger,Pesticide Action Network indeed this country, at the behest of the Earth Summit 2002—A New Deal,UNED warn that air pollution threatens to drasti- µ [email protected] multilateral institutions, but which most Forum,2000. cally shift weather patterns. Agricultural Science & Technology Round- often reflect the interests of global corpora- µ [email protected] table with the Private Sector tions”. ∑www.earthsummit2002.org/ Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis ∑ wbln0018.worldbank.org/essd/ es/PressRelease/pb2.htm ∑ www.ipcc.ch essd.nsf/rural+development/portal 6 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE NUMBER 21 – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2001

The Bank’s new policy frame- actions taken in light of the com- Bank forest policy process clash work has some good analysis and ments, and the reasons for taking suggestions, for example, to assess these actions”. This did not materi- In early January a meeting was held in Washington to discuss the the negative impacts of some alize in time for two Bank Board dis- latest World Bank forest strategy. The meeting was of the Technical structural adjustment loans on cussions of the proposed new pol- forests. However the proposals for icy, prompting letters of complaint Advisory Group (TAG), a body which includes representatives of NGOs, dealing with these are widely seen from the Forest Peoples’ Pro- governments and research institutes, to conduct in-depth discussion as inadequate. Among identified gramme and the Center for Interna- of what the new forest strategy and policy should contain. TAG concerns are: tional Environmental Law. members set out a number of concerns with the process and with the • a lack of budgets to carry out studies on Because of these recent process content of the documentation. forests, and no detailed language on what breakdowns, and signs that the the new operational policy will contain; Bank is trying to claim that safe- A letter sent after the meeting to the few days at the beginning of Janu- guard policies are too expensive to World Bank and the World Conser- ary to discuss them. • a lack of clarity about how to do prior implement, FPP and others have vation Union (IUCN)—contracted by The letter and other interven- impact assessments for adjustment oper- taken action. A letter has been pre- the Bank to facilitate consultations tions appeared to have rapid results: ations; pared stressing that strong, unam- around this process—condemned “a the materials were posted on the • a failure to confront the Bank’s incen- biguous and mandatory safeguard failure of transparency” in the review Bank’s website and it was tives which prioritize loan volume over policies are the only mechanism process. It pointed out that the Bank announced that external comments loan quality; available to citizens and project ben- had gone back on its assurance that would be accepted until 15 February. eficiaries to hold the World Bank the draft strategy document “will be These comments will then be fed • the unworkable concept of demarcat- and its clients accountable for their widely disseminated and discussed into the final documentation which ing “High Conservation Value Forests”; operations. ® with key stakeholders”. Apparently goes to the Bank’s Operations Policy The World Bank’s resettlement pol- because of difficult internal discus- Committee and then Board in icy recently suffered from a similar µ [email protected] sions the Bank decided not to make March and April. Forest Peoples’ breakdown in the agreed process. ∑www.forestpeoples.org the draft documents available. Even Programme (a TAG member) is The Bank again promised that it TAG members were sent them only encouraging groups to take advan- would make available “a summary ∑wbln0018.worldbank.org/essd/ late on Christmas Eve, leaving just a tage of this opportunity. of the comments received, the forestpol-e.nsf/mainview

ß understanding of development is ß too dominated by economics or is Banking on Knowledge too apolitical. Knut G Nustad and Bank net Gateway Ole J Sending, for example centre latest their chapter on the tricky question A new book examines the World projects and competitions, funding, of “the political implications inher- The World Bank’s Global Develop- Bank’s reinvention as a “knowledge data sharing, exchange programmes, ent in defining certain propositions ment Gateway is proceeding grad- Bank” in the context of think tanks, etc. It has been established, housed as ‘knowledge’, as knowledge is ually. Despite much criticism of the NGOs and others trying to influence and financed by the World Bank but often used to legitimize and ratio- initiative’s scope and approach the policies. Different views on knowl- is now moving to become an inde- nalize certain positions”. All these Bank appears to be moving ahead edge production, dissemination and pendent organization. topics were widely discussed at the as originally planned. The few use in the global electronic infor- Banking on Knowledge editor Diane late November GDN annual meeting changes adopted are mostly mar- mation age are set out as a backdrop Stone discusses different networks in Japan, details of which can be ginal, such as cutting one word to a detailed analysis of the Global of policy communities and advo- found on the GDN website. ® from the project’s title, making it Development Network (GDN). cacy coalitions and cautions that: simply the ‘Development Gateway’. The GDN is a new World Bank ini- “within the GDN, powerful political, Banking on Knowledge, the Genesis of the The Gateway will still claim to pro- tiative, mainly for think-tanks, which managerial and professional inter- Global Development Network vide “quality” analysis based on all aims to encourage more research ests need to be managed and nego- Diane Stone (Ed.),Routledge,2000. stakeholders’ views on virtually all development topics. There is still and knowledge-sharing by and tiated”. Other contributing authors ∑www.gdnet.org no clarity on governance arrange- between researchers based in the outline concerns and accusations µ [email protected] South. This will be achieved through that have been levelled at the ments for the Gateway, and it a major annual conference, research nascent GDN, most notably that its ∑www.realworldbank.org looks anyway as if these will be established too late to have any real bearing on the Gateway’s scope and approach. New Freshwater Action No more lending without Loans for El Salvador Meanwhile Bank Board discus- Network forestry reforms emergency sions on the issue have been post- poned because the Bank now A new network has been launched to sup- In January, local and international NGOs The World Bank was accused of “behaving plans to set the Gateway initiative port NGO advocacy around freshwater wrote to the World Bank demanding like vultures, like loan sharks” by US NGO in the context of a bigger scheme, issues. This Freshwater Action Network will actions to achieve genuine forest reform in 50 Years is Enough Campaign after it the digital alliance. This appears to initially focus on preparations for various Papua New Guinea (PNG). The World Bank offered to help finance emergency relief be a fund-raising mechanism for international meetings, including the Inter- is poised to consider whether it should efforts in El Salvador in the wake of Janu- international institutions to national Freshwater Conference (Bonn release the second portion of its Structural ary’s earthquake. The group was respond to the 'digital divide'. A 2001) and the World Summit on Sustain- Adjustment Loan to PNG and whether it complaining about the use of hard currency new ILO study which notes that able Development, 2002. It will also should approve a forest sector loan. These loans for this purpose. Under its current only five per cent of the world’s promote improved policy and campaigning pose an important test for whether the programme for El Salvador, the World Bank population uses the Internet and co-operation between NGOs from different Bank will fulfil its own policies and use has earmarked US$375m in loans for ongo- 88 per cent of these users live in sectors and regions by circulating informa- funds provided by its member nations and ing projects. Damage estimates are about industrialized countries. ® tion on international policy processes. their citizens in a responsible way. US$1bn. IMF staff are also in discussions with the government about a possible Economic Justice News Gateway article Danielle Morley,Freshwater Action Network For a copy of the letter: standby programme. ∑ www.50years.org/ejn/v3n4/wb.html WaterAid,27-29 Albert Embankment µ lafcadio.cortesi@sfo.greenpeace.org London,SE1 7UB, UK John Garisson,Gateway civil society officer µ [email protected] µ [email protected] 7 BRETTON WOODS UPDATE

ß Calendar of selected events Health policy attacked ≤ The UK 8-9 Parliamentarians – II The People’s Health Conference icy is to “overcome and address January-April 2001 EuroMed Parliamentary Forum ∑ 2000 criticized the World Bank’s inadequate access and low quality Financing for Development: Are the UN pro- www.europarl.eu-int/conferences/ health policies for being “anti-Third of health services.” He also said that posals the answer? Discussion meetings at euromed/default-en.htm World”. The meeting, held in the World Bank is the largest the Overseas Development Institute to pre- 12-19 Tenth session of the United Nations Confer- pare for the UN High-Level International ence on Trade and Development, Bangkok Bangladesh 4–8 December, was financier of malnutrition pro- ∑ Intergovernmental Event on Financing for www.unctad-10.org/welcome.htm attended by 3000 mainly non-gov- grammes, particularly in South Asia. 13-23 Commission for Social Development, New ernmental organizations from 95 The meeting stressed the unful- Development ∑ www.odi.org.uk York, USA countries. Delegates called for “jus- filled promise of Health for All by ∑ www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2001.htm February tice, not charity” in response to cuts 2000, calling on governments to March in government expenditure on renew the pledge and on people to 24 Globalization and World Poverty, War on Want, University of Westminster 15-17 World Economic Forum China Business health and education as a result of press for their right to health. The ∑ www.waronwant.org, Summit 2001, Beijing, China debt servicing and the globalization People’s Health Charter was finalized µ [email protected] 19-21 IDB Annual meetings, Santiago, Chile, ∑ process. Charles Mutasa, Zimbabwe, at the conference to provide action 26 Child poverty initiative www.iadb.org/exr/am2001/index.htm said disease specific interventions, indicators. NGOs can endorse the µ [email protected] 26-30 Commission on Population and Develop- ® ment, Geneva, Switzerland such as World Bank spending on TB Charter on the website. March or leprosy, won’t be enough as long 5-8 Human Rights and the Alleviation of April as the debt trap remains. 20-22 Third Summit of the Americas ∑www.pha2000.org. Poverty, Wilton Park Richard Lee Skolnik, the World ∑ www.wiltonpark.org.uk/conferences Quebec City, Canada ∑ Bank’s regional director for health, There will be a European follow-up meeting 26-28 Prospects for the Global Economy and its www.americascanada.org/menu-e.asp 29-30 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, on 4 April in London.Contact Mike Rowson Governance, Wilton Park nutrition and population responded Washington, USA that the organization’s health pol- µ [email protected] 30-31 Development policy in Africa: public and pri- vate perspectives, Centre for the Study of May ß African Economies, Keble College, Oxford 14-20 Third United Nations Conference on the ∑ www.csae.ox.ac.uk Least Developed Countries Indian power sector employees July ≤ Globally 15-22 International week of actions on debt protest privatization µ January-February [email protected] 29-2 Third international meeting of economists 15-22 G8 Summit, Italy, Genoa, Italy ∑ More than a million electricity work- lishing an independent regulatory on globalization and development, Cuba, www.genoa-g8.it ers protested for a day in December framework for the sector, reducing µ [email protected] September-October against a proposed bill that follows subsidies, introducing cost-recovery 5 World Commission on Dams Forum, Cape 28-4 Autumn meetings of the World Bank and IMF “World Bank prescriptions” to pri- based tariffs and selling distribution Town, South Africa Other useful calendars ∑ www.dams.org vatize the power sector in India. assets to private operators. ∑ www.un.org/events/index.html NGO 5-9 Asia and Pacific Forum on Poverty, Manilla According to B S Meel, general sec- Prayas, an Indian working on ∑ www.globenet.org/aitec/calandrier ∑ www.adb.org/Poverty/Forum 21 retary of the Electricity Employees energy policy issues, calls for caution ∑ www.oneworld.net/diary/index.html 5-9 21st Session of the UNEP Governing Coun- Federation of India, the bill does not in the rapid privatization process ∑ www.worldbank.org/ cil, Nairobi, Kenya take into account 37 per cent of the proposed by the World Bank. It html/extdr/extcs/agenda.htm ∑ www.unep.org population who are without elec- claims the process will primarily tricity. Neither does it protect indus- serve powerful vested interests, as try and agriculture from high com- there are weak legal provisions New Project member mercial tariffs charged by the regarding transparency and direct independent power producers. public accountability. They also say The Bretton Woods Project has been joined by a new Communications and Research Since the privatization process regulatory agencies will have to be Officer, Charlotte Carlsson. Charlotte has a wide range of communications qualifications, started in Orissa state in 1995, the transparent in their functioning, and experience in different organizations, for example working in Brussels producing Government of India has worked accountable not only to “economic” newsletter and information materials about the European Social Fund. Her previous job with the World Bank to remove gov- actors but also to the public. ® was as Information Officer for CIET International (Community Information, ernment from operation of the power Empowerment and Transparency), an international group working with NGOs and sector. The reforms involve estab- ∑www.prayas-pune.org researchers to build the community voice into planning – see www.ciet.org. ß µ [email protected] New annual World Bank Civil Society Forum

A new World Bank-Civil Society (WBWG) and other networks between Forum will be held each year. This now and June. The first Forum will ¬ results from a decision taken at the be held later in the year. December NGO World Bank Commit- The changes in the WBWG’s role are Published by Bretton Woods Project tee meeting. The Committee, estab- partly in recognition that ever more supporting UK NGOs on World Bank and IMF reform lished in the 1980s as a channel for organizations are engaged in discus- ISSN 1471-1168 dialogue between NGOs and the Bank sions with the World Bank on a wide agreed that its annual meeting in range of topics making it unclear why No permission needed to reproduce articles.Please pass to colleagues interested in Washington will be replaced by a Working Group members should the Bank and Fund,and let us know of other groups interested in getting the Update. larger annual Forum. This will con- obtain privileged access to top-rank- vene about 100 representatives of ing Bank officials. The WBWG will con- Bretton Woods Project NGOs, trade unions, community orga- tinue to work on participation and c/o Action Aid, Hamlyn House, Macdonald Road, London N19 5PG, UK nizations, religious groups etc with capacity-building with the Bank and † +44 (0)20 7561 7546/7 expertise relevant to the topic cho- to facilitate regional and country con- ≈ +44 (0)20 7281 5146 sen for that year. Each year’s forum sultations with the Bank. ® µ [email protected] will be decided and organized by a ∑ www.brettonwoodsproject.org µ “Joint Facilitation Committee” which [email protected] will be formed in collaboration with ∑www.worldbank.org/ngos Supported by NGOs in the Development and Environment Group the NGO World Bank Working Group µ [email protected] and by the CS Mott and John T and Catherine A MacArthur Foundations Designed and typeset by King Graphics. Printed by Spider Web, London