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Update
Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, General Information for CSOs
20 April 2006
With the Spring Meetings rapidly approaching, here is some preliminary information about the events that will be taking place and how to get involved.
The World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings will take place on April 22 and 23 in Washington D.C. As in previous years, a program of Policy Dialogues for accredited CSOs will be organized by WB's Civil Society Team in cooperation with other teams across the Bank and IMF. These dialogues will be held between Thursday, April 20 and Monday, April 24. On this page: - Useful websites
- Accreditation information- Deadline has passed
- Events
- Who’s coming to Washington?
1. Useful Websites2. AccreditationAll civil society organization representatives planning to attend any official events, including the Civil Society Dialogues, must be accredited. *Deadline has passed. If you missed the deadline you may still be able to attend the some of the meetings. Email the World Bank Civil Society Team with questions: The Spring Meetings Registration office and badge pick-up will be located in the Bank's H building (600-19th Street, NW) and will be open for the duration of the Meetings - from Monday, April 17 through Sunday, April 23. 3. Events
Please let us know if you’re planning a meeting or event! Many groups are in the process of finalizing event details. So it’s very helpful for overall planning to know about events that are in the works – even if you’re not sure of day, time, etc. There are two ways to get your meeting on the BIC calendar: - Post the event on www.ifiwatchnet.org
- If you cannot post your event on ifiwatchnet, either because you don’t know how or it’s a private event, please email details to Karen at BIC. Please indicate if your event is public (should be included in the website calendar) or private (should not be circulated widely).
1. Development Committee AgendaProvisional Agenda:1. Global Monitoring Report 2006: Strengthening Mutual Accountability - Aid, Trade and Governance 2. Clean Energy and Development: Towards an Investment Framework Background Reports to be discussed: 1. Fiscal Policy for Growth: An Interim Report 2. The Doha Development Agenda and Aid for Trade: Hong Kong and Beyond - Progress Report 3. Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative: Final List of Countries Potentially Eligible for Assistance under the Initiative IMFC Provisional Agenda1. Adoption of Agenda
2. The Global Economy and Financial Markets—Outlook, Risks, and Policy Responses
3. Implementation of the IMF’s Medium-Term Strategy
4. Low-Income Countries: Status of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative and Debt Sustainability
Progress Reports - The global economic and financial impact of an avian flu pandemic
- Activities of the Independent Evaluation Office
5. Other Business
6. Press Communiqué 2. Confirmed civil society events 4. Who’s coming to Washington?Please let us know if you’ll be in town! How to let us know you’ll be in town: - The best way to do this is to post your travel and contact details on
- If you are not an ifiwatchnet member email your details to Karen at BIC.
Who's in Town- Soren Ambrose, Coordinator, Solidarity Africa Network (Kenya).
- Janneke Bruil, Friends of the Earth International / Netherlands
- Raquel Cruz, CESTA / El Salvador
- Abdulai Darimani, TWN Africa. In town April 21-25.
- Marcus Faro, Rede Brazil. In town April 18-23.
- Elena Gerebizza ,CRBM. In town April 20-24.
- Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South. Arriving April 20.
- Sarah Hague, Economic Advisor, Save the Children, London, UK.
- Lucy Hayes, Eurodad. In town April 19-24.
- Petr Hlobil, CEE Bankwatch, Czech Republic.
- Gail Hurley, Eurodad. In town April 19 – 24.
- Aviva Imhof, International Rivers Network (United States)
- Karyn Keenan, Halifax Initiative Coalition, in town April 19 to 24th
- Smitu Kothari, Lokayan. Dates not set.
- Peter Lanzet, EED, Church Development Service. In town April 18-25.
- Derek MacCuish, Coordinator, The Social Justice Committee
- María Elena Martínez, Alternative Development (DESAL), Oaxaca, Mexico
- Charles Mutasa, African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Samuel Nnah Ndobe, Center for Environment and Development, Yaounde, Cameroon
- Asume Osuoka, Environmental Rights Action Nigeria. In town April 24-28 (tentative).
- Olexi Pasyuk, CEE Bankwatch, Ukraine.
- Caroline Pearce, Jubilee Debt Campaign. In town April 19-24
- Jeff Powell, Bretton Woods Project (United Kingdom)
- Stephen Rand, Jubilee Debt Campaign. In town April 19-24
- Fraser Reilly-King, Halifax Initiative Coalition, in town April 19 to 23
- Andrey Rudomakha, Environmental Watch on North Caucasus, Russia.
- Prakash Sharma, Pro Public / Nepal
- Sergey Solyanik, Green Salvation, Kazakhstan.
- Daniel Jorge Taillant, Centro de Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente, Cordoba, Argentina
- Antonio Tricarico, Coordinator, CRBM. In town Thursday April 20 – Sunday April 23
- David Ugolor, African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice.
- Knud Vocking, Urgewald. In town April 18-25.
- Chris Wangkay, Coordinator for Debt Campaign, INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development). In town April 17-24.
Please send updates and corrections to
Tuesday 18 Apr 2006 | 7.30 pm | Washington, United States
Privatization in Developing Countries In the last 25 years, many formerly state-owned firms have been privatized in developing countries, generating over $400 billion dollars in sales proceeds. The vast majority of economic studies praise privatization?s positive impact on firms, as well as macroeconomic and welfare contributions. Nonetheless, public opinion in less developed countries is generally suspicious of and hostile to privatization.
(John Nellis)
John Nellis has worked and written on privatization for more than 20 years, first in the World Bank (from 1984 to 2000), and subsequently, as Principal of the consulting firm, International Analytics, and as Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development. He consults for the World Bank, the IMF, the OECD, and the Asian Development Bank. " Host: The Elliott School of International Affairs (GW University) Venue: The Elliott School of International Affairs 1957 E Street Building, Room 211 (e-mail: ) rsvp:
Wednesday 19 Apr 2006 | 9.00 am | Washington, United States
Press Briefing: World Economic Outlook (WEO) A number of seats in the press room will be made available for CSOs on a first come first served basis.
" Host: IMF (http://www.imf.org) Venue: IMF room B-702 (e-mail: )
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 9.00 am–11.00 am | Washington D.C., United States
Trade and Finance Linkages in Latin America/ Caribbean Report back from a Seminar The panel will report back from the Regional Strategy Seminar on Trade ? Finance Linkages (Latin America / Caribbean) held October 3-5, 2005, in Lima, Peru. This was the first in a series of regional seminars being convened by members of the International Working Group on Trade - Finance Linkages as a result of strategies the group adopted in order to ensure the organic and sustained input of members from Southern regions in the agenda, priority-setting and advocacy activities. Participants at the seminar discussed ways to effectively expand and protect, across the institutions that are the target of trade and finance watchdog organizations in the region, the policy space needed for the adoption of alternative policies. They also addressed the potential of the trade-finance linkages agenda in order to strategically shift the balance of ongoing negotiations in financial and trade venues. Speakers: Aldo Caliari Center of Concern Romulo Torres LATINDAD-CEAS (Peru) Mariama Williams Institute for Law and Economics (Jamaica) Aurelio Suarez Asociacion para la Salvacion Agropecuaria (Colombia) Norma Sanchis Latin America Gender and Trade (Argentina) Ramon Acevez RMALC (Mexico) Moderator: Kristin Sampson, US Gender and Trade Simultaneous translation English ? Spanish will be provided" Host: Center of Concern (http://www.coc.org/index.fpl/1124.html?cms_campaign=7) Venue: International Student House 1825 R St, NW Washington DC, 20009 Contact: (e-mail: rbw@coc.org)
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 9.00 am–10.30 am | Washington, United States
CSO meeting/conference call on the IFC A good opportunity to share information on current efforts and brainstorm next steps. It would be great to have a report-out from the Equator Principles meeting in London. This meeting will also be used to discuss the IFC meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon - for those who are planning to go. Please send along any specific items you would like to put on the agenda and please confirm if you are planning to attend or call-in.
Call-in number: +1 641 985 8500
Access code: 624 0631
" Venue: Bank Information Center 1100 H Street NW, suite 650 (e-mail: ) rsvp:
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 9.30 am | Washington, United States
Press Conference with IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato A number of seats in the press room will be made available for CSOs on a first come first served basis." Venue: IMF Headquarters 1 Building, Room B-702, 700 19th Street NW (e-mail: )
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 9.30 am–10.00 am | Washington, United States
Briefing Session on MIGA Speaker: Ms. Yukiko Omura, CEO
Ms. Omura will meet with CSOs to discuss the implementation of
MIGA?s new safeguard and information disclosure guidelines.
" Venue: World Bank (TBD) (e-mail: )
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 11.00 am–2.00 pm | Washington, United States
Debt, Conditionality and Corruption A Civil Society Strategy Session Co-Sponsored by: Jubilee USA Network, Eurodad, Jubilee South, Jubilee Debt Campaign (UK), Latindad, Afrodad. With all of the discussion about debt, conditionality, and corruption in the news lately, this meeting will bring together debt campaigners and allies in town for the WB/IMF spring meetings to share updates and to advance our collective discussion on these topics. The discussion will include short updates on various campaigns and country efforts (MDRI, IDB, Odious debt campaigning, etc); Short presentations of recent analysis/discussion papers on debt, conditionality, and corruption; and smaller group sessions around topics identified by the group as needing further exploration (ideas: campaigning against economic conditionality; Responsible lending/financing standards; role of fiduciary/transparency conditions)." Host: Jubilee USA Network (www.jubileeusa.org) Co-host: Jubilee South (www.jubileesouth.org) Venue: Contact Neil Watkins for details at 202-421-1023 Contact: (e-mail: neil@jubileeusa.org) rsvp:
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 11.00 am–12.30 pm | Washington, United States
The impact of IMF lending policies on long-term debt sustainability in middle-income countries Speaker/Commentators: Frank Fernandez, Securities Industry Association; Jan Kregel, UN/ DESA; Brad Setser, Roubini Global Economics; Timothy Lane, International Monetary Fund
Chair: Frank Schroeder, Friedrich Ebert Foundation NY
As a result of volatility in private capital inflows and interest rates, middle-income countries are faced with debt servicing problems. While the resources of the IMF are insufficient to meet a distressed borrower's full financing needs, some critics argue that IMF conditionality and its emphasis on external finance in measuring debt sustainability may create the risk of a country being caught in an endless spiral of increased borrowing to service rising debt levels. An additional dimension to the approach of the IMF is not only how it affects the overall level of debt of developing countries, but also real economic performance and development objectives.
The session will be based on ongoing research for a new international debt framework with particular emphasis on the aspect of crisis prevention.
Part of the World Bank Civil Society Dialogues. " Host: New Rules for Global Finance Coalition (http://www.new-rules.org) Co-host: Friedrich Ebert Foundation (http://www.fesny.org) Venue: World Bank (Main Complex) Room MC C1-100 1818 H Street, NW Contact: (e-mail: jbaker@new-rules.org)
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 11.00 am | Washington, United States
Press Briefing with World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz A number of seats in the press room will be made available for CSOs on a first come first served basis." Venue: IMF Room B-702 (e-mail: )
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 12.45 pm–2.00 pm | Washington, United States
National Development Strategies and Millennium Development Goals Speakers/Commentators: Jan Kregel (DESA/U); Jorge Soeiro (Plan 2025 in Mozambique) [TBC]; Rick Rowden (Action Aid International); Vinay Bhargava, (World Bank)
Chair: Jo Marie Griesgraber (New Rules for Global Finance Coalition)
A light lunch will be served
One of the Four topics that the President of ECOSOC has proposed for the Spring Meeting between ECOSOC and the World Bank, IMF, WTO and UNCTAD as part of the official follow up process to the International Conference on Financing for Development is to look at the Coherence between the National Development Strategies approved at the September 2005 World Summit and the country's ability to reach the Millennium Development Goals.
The panelists will discuss what National Development Strategies are, how they differ from other comprehensive national level approaches (i.e. CAS, PRSP) to development, and how they are specifically designed to ensure the full implementation of the 8 Millennium Development Goals.
Part of the World Bank Civil Society Dialogues." Host: ActionAid USA (http://www.actionaidusa.org) Co-host: New Rules for Global Finance Coalition (http://www.new-rules.org) Venue: World Bank (Main Complex) Room MC C1-100 1818 H Street, NW Contact: (e-mail: rick.rowden@actionaid.org)
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 2.00 pm–4.00 pm | Washington, United States
Is the Doha Agenda Moving away from Development ? The Doha Ministerial Declaration (2001) launched a round of negotiations that was going to place development at its center. Later on, government leaders meeting at the Monterrey Conference (2002) pledged the Round would address trade as an instrument to finance development. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have joined the voices of those calling for a successful conclusion to the Round. However, at this point, the broad trade-offs that would mean a conclusion to the Round seem far away from what development advocates see as fulfilling the original promises of Doha and Monterrey.
In this panel, civil society representatives will make an assessment of the export-led growth model underpinning the Round negotiations and the Bank and IMF advocacy and analysis on trade issues. From this perspective, they will assess the challenges and limitations of the current negotiations to achieve such results. Is there scope for the Doha negotiations to regain a development focus? How positive would the so-touted deals and tradeoffs being sought by April 30 be for development?
Discussants from the World Bank and IMF staff will present their views.
Speakers:
Chandra Patel, Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Initiative
Mariama Williams, International Gender and Trade Network/Institute for Law and Economics
Tom Palley, Economics for Democratic & Open Societies Project
Sandra Polaski, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Discussants
Richard Newfarmer, Economic Advisor, International Trade Department, World Bank
Hans Peter Lankens, Chief, Trade Policy Division, PDR, International Monetary Fund
Moderator
Liane Schalatek, Heinrich Boell Foundation
" Host: International Working-Group on Trade-Finance Linkages (www.coc.org/rbw) Co-host: Heinrich Boell Foundation (www.boell.org) Venue: World Bank (Main Complex) Room MC C1-100 1818 H Street, NW Contact: (e-mail: rbw@coc.org ) rsvp:
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 2.00 pm–3.00 pm | Washington, United States
Brown Bag with James Henry the author of Blood Bankers Please join us for an informal brown bag with James Henry the author of Blood Bankers. James Henry is an attorney, former chief economist for McKinsey & Co., and vice president for strategy for IBM/Lotus, James S. Henry is also an investigative journalist who has written for many publications, including The New Republic, New York Times, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, and many other magazines and newspapers. One of the original "Nader Raiders," he is founder and managing director of the Sag Harbor Group (www.sagharbor.com), a strategy consulting firm with a special focus on technology strategy and business development. " Host: Friends of the Earth (www.foe.org) Venue: Friends of the Earth 1717 Massachusetts Ave, NW Suite 600 (e-mail: ) rsvp:
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 3.00 pm–5.00 pm | Washington, DC, United States
Evaluating the impact of the PRGF: The cases of Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia Panel Discussion on upcoming AFRODAD/Norweigan Church Aid report that analyzes the impact of the IMF's Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) on social services in 4 African countries Panel Discussion about Afrodad's upcoming report to be followed by q & a from the audience. Moderator: DEBAYANI KAR, Jubilee USA Network. Panelists: VITALICE MEJA, Programme Director, Lobbying and Advocacy, AFRODAD. ANGELA WOOD, Consultant, formerly of the Bretton Woods Project. Representative from Africa department, International Monetary Fund (IMF) - INVITED. RATHIN ROY, Poverty Group, United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Co-hosted by AFRODAD, ActionAid International USA, Jubilee USA Network and Norweigan Church Aid. " Host: AFRODAD (http://www.afrodad.org) Co-host: Jubilee USA Network (www.jubileeusa.org) Venue: InterAction 1717 Massachusetts Ave NW Ste 701 Contact: (e-mail: sarah@jubileeusa.org)
Thursday 20 Apr 2006 | 3.00 pm–7.00 pm | Washington, United States
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Latin American HIPC Countries after Debt Cancellation After the HIPC debt relief, and the G8 deal, what are the current challenges and frontiers for debt campaigners in the Latina American HIPC countries? Bringing together analysts and activists from the Latin America, Europe and the US, the seminar seeks to lay out key elements for analysis, and discuss initial strategies for moving forward.
Program:
3:00
Introductions
3:15
Mark Weisbrot, Center for Economic Policy Research
Recent trends in global finance for development and institutions
3:45
Gail Hurley, Eurodad
After HIPC, after G8: the challenges ahead
4:15
Oscar Ugarteche, Latindadd
Comments on Weisbrot and Hurley
4:30
Open for questions and discussion
5:00
Country Reports: The impact of HIPC and the G8 deal in HIPC countries, and the challenges ahead
Bolivia: Javier G�� (CEDLA), Katy Murillo (Fundaci��ubileo)
Honduras: Mauricio D�, FOSDEH
Nicaragua: Adolfo Acevedo, Violeta Delgado (Coordinadora Civil)
6:00
Open for questions and discussion
7:00
Close
The seminar is co-sponsored by Eurodad, Latindad, Oxfam and the Global Policy Network (GPN). For more information, contact Tom Kruse (tkruse@oxfam.org.bo) or Javier Gomez (jgomez@cedla.org)" Host: European Network on Debt and Development (http://www.eurodad.org) Co-host: Oxfam Venue: Economics Policy Institute 1333 H Street, NW Suite 300, East Tower Washington, DC 20005 Contact: (e-mail: tkruse@oxfam.org.bo)
Thursday 20 Apr 2006
See also
World Bank (IBRD & IDA)
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