****POSTPONED*****

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

Previously scheduled for April 9-10

Location: Suite 101, Marvin Center, George Washington University, 800 21st street, Washington, D.C. 20052

***********POSTPONED**************

Getting more doctors, nurses and teachers hired in developing countries

The advocacy planning strategy session is the follow-up event to the economic literacy training conducted in March 2007 which introduced US-based international advocacy organizations working on health, education, HIV/AIDS and women’s rights to the issues and debates about how to increase public spending in poor countries throughout the Global South. ActionAid International works in many countries that cannot currently hire the numbers of doctors, nurses and teachers needed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or effectively fight HIV/AIDS, often because of unnecessarily–restrictive limits on public spending. This advocacy planning session will engage interested groups and organizations in a dialogue on openings and opportunities for advocacy on the macroeconomic policies of international financial institutions that constrain education and health spending in the Global South. It will include several presentations by advocacy groups and organizations with several years of experience in doing advocacy with US Congress and Treasury.

**********POSTPONED*********

ActionAid

Contact: Rick Rowden,

Tuesday April 10-Wednesday April 11

Location: Action Aid International USA
1420 K Street, NW, Suite 900 (Nearest Metro Station: McPherson Square on Blue line)
Washington DC 20005 (Farragut North Metro Station on the Red Line)

Global Strategy Meeting of the Democratic Governance and Parliamentary Oversight (DGPO) Project

Day 1 (Tuesday April 10, 9:00-5:30 pm) will focus on the overall framework for the project, get reports from each of the four country partners (Brazil, Ghana, India, and Indonesia), discuss lessons for building the global network on parliamentary oversight drawing on perspectives from other potential partners and countries (Malawi, Mexico, etc.). The emphasis is on identifying national, regional, and global strategies to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the international financial institutions.

New Rules for Global Finance coalition

Other civil society groups invited to observe

Tuesday April 10-Wednesday April 11

Location: Action Aid International USA
1420 K Street, NW, Suite 900 (Nearest Metro Station: McPherson Square on Blue line)
Washington DC 20005 (Farragut North Metro Station on the Red Line)

Global Strategy Meeting of the Democratic Governance and Parliamentary Oversight (DGPO) Project

Day 2 (April 11, 9:00-5:30 pm) will focus on the various pieces for moving forward with Phase 2 of the DGPO project by discussing and further scoping out of the funding proposal in terms of key partners for each region, cross-regional and North-South activities, strengthening the partnership with the International Parliamentary Petition (IPP) initiative, and plans for moving the Secretariat to a partner in the South.

New Rules for Global Finance coalition

Other civil society groups invited to observe

Time: 12pm-2pm

Location: International Student House 
Ella Burling Hall (second floor) 
1825 R St. NW 
Washington, DC

Gender Impacts of IFI Conditionalities

Chair/Moderator: Elaine Zuckerman, Gender Action

Panelists: Suzanna Dennis, Gender Action     Lidy Nacpil, Jubilee South

Closing Poem: monét cooper, Jubilee USA Network

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED!

Please join Gender Action at a workshop launching our Gender Guide to World Bank and IMF Policy-Based Lending.  International Financial Institution (IFI) investments such as those of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank often aggravate discrimination against women and girls by intensifying poverty, trafficking in and violence against women, prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.  This is particularly true of IFI policy-based loans, which often require governments to implement reforms such as privatization of essential services and cutting government spending that reduce services to the poor. Several IFIs have gender policies or strategies which tend to be poorly implemented and apply to projects but not policy-based lending.  The World Bank’s Operational Policy on Gender and Development specifically excludes policy-based operations.  The IMF, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the European Investment Bank lack gender policies. Join us, and be a part of the global movement to ensure that these powerful institutions respect the rights of women and girls!

Gender Action

Contact and RSVP: Suzanna Denis,

Time: 4:30pm-5:30pm

Location: BIC (1100 H St. NW, #650. Entrance on 11th)

Internet-based advocacy and campaigning

Tom Glaisyer, Connect US Fellow, will discuss how to understand some of the buzzwords around online advocacy, and provide tips on how to implement new tools modestly and incrementally.  If you have a lap top PC feel free to bring it along with a sense of inquisitiveness. The session is aimed at providing advocates concrete ideas. Both accomplished online organizers and technophobes welcome!

Connect US, Netcentric Campaigns

Contact: Karen Showalter,

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location: BIC (1100 H Street NW, suite 650. Entrance on 11th st.)

Civil Society Happy Hour

Bank Information Center

Contact: James Taylor,

Time: 8pm
Location: Cafe Citron (1343 Connecticut Ave NW)

Eurodad social event

Contact:  

Time: 9am-10:30am

Location: Room MC C1-100, World Bank

High Level Panel on IMF Board Accountability

Speakers: Daniel Kaeser, Former IMF Executive Director for Switzerland; Monica Blagescu, Accountability Programme Manager, One World Trust; Jo Marie Greisbraber, Executive Director, New Rules for Global Finance Coalition

In light of the many calls for the reform of the International Monetary Fund, the New Rules for Global Finance Coalition convened a panel with diverse backgrounds to assess how the governance and performance of the IMF could be improved. New Rules invited a diverse group of individuals to participate in a High-Level Panel to identify ways to move the Executive Board toward greater accountability. The Panel focused its recommendations on steps that were both feasible in the short-term and promised to contribute to significant change in the accountability of the IMF over the long-term. For this reason, the Panel chose to give priority to those recommendations that would be consistent with the current legal framework ofthe Fund, namely, the Articles of Agreement.Please join us for a presentation of the key findings and recommendations of the High-Level Panel on IMF Board Accountability.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

New Rules for Global Finance Coalition

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics

1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, C. Fred Bergsten Conference Center, Washington, DC

Latin America and the IMF: The Way Forward

Featuring: The Latin-American Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee (LASFRC)

This meeting will focus on the changing role of the International Monetary Fund in the region. Participants include:

Liliana Rojas-Suarez - President, LASFRC; Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development; Former Chief Economist, Latin America, Deutsche Bank

Guillermo Calvo - Former Chief Economist, Inter-American Development Bank

Pedro Carvalho de Mello - Former Commissioner of Comissão de Valores Mobiliários of Brazil

Roque Fernandez - Former Minister of Finance of Argentina

Roberto Zahler - Former President, Central Bank of Chile

Pablo Guidotti - Former Vice-Minister of Finance of Argentina

Ernesto Talvi - Former Chief Economist, Central Bank of Uruguay

Claudio Contador - Former Professor Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Context and Discussion Topics: IMF lending to Latin America has practically stopped due to large private capital inflows, macroeconomic stability and substantial accumulation of international reserves in many countries in the region. Moreover, some of the countries have paid-off their IMF debts in advance and are preparing to create alternative regional financial institutions. Is the IMF still relevant for the region? How will the relationship between the IMF and Latin American countries develop in the years ahead? Is the IMF Medium-Term Strategy for middle income countries sufficient or are more radical changes in IMF policies and programs required to meet the region's needs?

Time: 10:30am-12pm

Location: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (*Note corrected address: 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Roote Room)

Global imbalances, power shifts, and the future of multilateralism

Multilateral economic institutions are facing a period of unprecedented challenges — among these are large macroeconomic imbalances (including the US current account deficit), stalled negotiations at the WTO, and a much-reduced IMF. Three economists will discuss some of these current challenges and their implications for economic growth and development. The panel discussion will be followed by a brief question and answer period.

Center for Economic and Policy Research

Contact: Jeremy Bigwood:

Time: 10:30am-12pm

Location: MC C1-100, World Bank complex

Labor Standards, Human Rights, Democracy: The Role of the World Bank and IMF

Sponsor: New Rules Coalition
Speakers: Peter Bakvis, Director, International Trade Union Confederation; Thomas Palley, Principal & Founder, Economics for Democratic & Open Societies; Armand Pereira, Director, Washington Office, International Labor Organization; Robert Holzmann, Director, Social Protection Department, World Bank

This year the World Bank is seeking its fifteenth International Development Assistance replenishment, while the IMF is currently undertaking a major review and discussion regarding its purpose and future mission. The view of the Fund’s management is contained in The Managing Director’s Report on Implementing the Fund’s Medium-Term Strategy (April 2006). These developments create an opportunity for reflecting upon the mission and activities of the World bank and the IMF. The current session will explore the question of what is the role and relationship of the Bank and Fund to the questions of labor standards, human rights, and democracy.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

New Rules Coalition

Time: 12:30pm-2pm

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

The Way Forward for Human Development at the World Bank

Speakers: Joy Phumaphi, Vice President for Human Development(WB);Cristian Baeza, Acting Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population, World Bank;   Elizabeth Stuart, Senior Policy Advisor and Head of IFI Relations, Oxfam International;   Elizabeth Lule, Manager, ActAfrica Team (WB), Sue Perez, Donor Country Project Manager, Global TB Campaign, RESULTS Educational Fund
Moderator: Phil Hay, Communications Adviser, Human Development Network, World

This interactive session will focus on the Bank's work on human development and, in particular, its new Health, Nutrition, and Population strategy. CSOs will be given an opportunity to offer their insights to the Bank on devising health and human development strategies that can deliver scaled-up human development results

A light lunch will be served.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

World Bank Human Development Network/HDN (WB)

Consultation on workplan of European NGO coalition on financial sector liberalisation

Time: 1:30-4:30

Location: Gender Action, at 1875 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 1012

Debt strategy meeting

Jubilee USA, Jubilee South, and Eurodad

RSVP to

Time: 2pm-4pm

Location: The Great Hall (3rd floor, room 301) of Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th St NW, Washington DC 20036

IMF macroeconomic policies and their impacts on education budgets and teachers’ wages

ActionAid International Education Team launches new report of country case studies from Sierra Leone, Malawi and Mozambique

ActionAid

Contact:  and

RSVP: Nisha Thapliyal:

Time: 2:30pm-3:30pm

Location: Room L-101 (IFC Building)

Meeting with Lars Thunell, Executive Vice President of the International Finance Corporation on General IFC Activities

The session will be an opportunity for Mr. Thunell to meet CSO representatives and have an informal exchange of views on issues of common interest.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Bank Information Center, IFC

Interested CSOs are encouraged to RSVP to the following email address .

Time: 2pm-6pm

Location: World Bank Preston Auditorium. 1818 H Street, N.W, Washington, D.C.

World Bank IEG

More information:

http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/regionalprograms/conference/

Time: 2:30pm-4pm

Location: The New America Foundation,
1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20009

A Latin American Success Story: Five Years of Extraordinary Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Argentina

A discussion featuring:

- Felisa Josefina Miceli, Minister of Economy, Argentina

- Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director, Center for Economic and Policy Research

As part of the events held in conjunction with the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings, this forum will mark the fifth anniversary of Argentina's remarkable economic growth. It has defied most experts and most of the business press since the beginning.

Four years ago, one year into the recovery, the IMF's Research Director called Argentina's growth "a hiatus at the moment from its long economic fall." Argentina has now completed five years of the fastest economic growth in the Western Hemisphere, with GDP increasing by 47 percent and more than nine million people pulled over the poverty line.

Felisa Josefina Miceli, Argentina's Minister of the Economy, and Mark Weisbrot, Co-Director of the Center for Economic Policy Research will discuss the implications of Argentina's economic success and how it was made possible.

- simultaneous translation will be provided -

Please RSVP to Jeremy Bigwood,

Time: 5:30pm-7pm

Location: Rm MC 13-121

Reception: MC 12th Floor Gallery

Welcome Reception

Sponsor: External Affairs/EXT (WB) and External Relations Department/EXR (IMF)
Speakers:  Marwan Muasher, Sr. Vice President, External Affairs (WB); Masood Ahmed, Director, External Relations Department, (IMF)
Hosts: Paul Wolfowitz, President, WB; Rodrigo de Rato, Managing Director, IMF

Mr. Muasher and Mr. Ahmed will provide a briefing on the major policies to be discussed during the Spring Meetings, and particularly at the Development Committee, as well as discuss any other issues of interest to CSOs.  This will be followed by an informal reception with Mr. de Rato and Mr. Wolfowitz.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

External Affairs/EXT (WB) and External Relations Department/EXR (IMF)

Time: 9am-11am

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

Is the Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO) for me?

Speaker: Meg Taylor, Compliance Advisor, Ombudsman

Following an overview of the CAO’s role and mandate, members of civil society have an opportunity to participate with CAO staff in an interactive and experience-based session to understand:

*  How the CAO can help communities achieve their goals when they file a complaint on a development project financed by the IFC or MIGA

* What the CAO’s strengths and limitations are, and

* How civil society might help a community determine whether or not to   engage in a CAO process

A light breakfast will be served.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

IFC

Time: 9am-10:30am

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

Sub-Saharan Africa: Outlook and Challenges

Sponsor: IMF
Speaker: Abdoulaye Bio-Tchané, African Department
Moderator:  Kathleen White, External Relations Department

This session will give an update of the Fund’s work and priorities in low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Abdoulaye Bio-Tchané, Director of the IMF's African Department, will review the Sub-Saharan Regional Economic outlook (REO) and the risks to the outlook. He will also highlight the macroeconomic challenges for Africa's oil producers and other critical policy issues in the IMF's work with African countries. In addition, he will briefly review how the IMF is adapting its range of instruments and financing to serve low-income countries better, including work on post-conflict and fragile states.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

External Relations Department/EXR (IMF)

Time: 9am

Location: Meeting Hall, World Bank

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: 1800 G Street NW, 12th Floor, Rm. 400

MIGA’s Proposed New Disclosure and Social and Environmental Sustainability Policies

Opening Remarks: Yukiko Omura, Executive Vice President, MIGA

Speakers: Frank Lysy, Director Policy and Environment; Moina Varkie, Director External Outreach and Partnerships; Judith Pearce, Lead Operations Officer External Outreach and Partnerships

NGOs and CSOs are invited to discuss and comment on MIGA’s proposed new Disclosure Policy and new Social and Environmental Policies and Performance Standards. The proposed new policies are available for prior review (including in Spanish and French) at http://www.miga.org/index.cfm?aid=650

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

MIGA

Time: 10:30am-12pm

Location: MC 2-800, World Bank complex

Countries in the Driver’s Seat: Making Poverty Reduction Strategies Work

Opening keynote:   Graeme Paul Wheeler,  WB Managing Director (TBC)Moderator: Luca Barbone, Director Poverty Reduction Department, PREM

Speakers: Danny Leipziger, PREM Vice-President; Hartwig Schafer, Acting Vice President, Africa Region; Geoff Lamb, Senior Fellow, Gates Foundation;  Richard Manning, Chair of OEDC/DAC;   Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister of Finance, Ghana;  Donald Kaberuka ,President AfDB.

This two hour seminar will bring together important leaders from a variety of different development organizations to share their perspectives on the country-based development model and some of the challenges they face, as more and more countries prepare their second, and in some cases their third, round of poverty reduction strategies. It will also offer suggestions on how the country-based model can be strengthened, particularly in the context of a growing number of aid providers and modalities and increasing debates over aid effectiveness.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

World Bank Poverty Reduction Economic Management Vice Presidency/PREM (WB)

Time: 10:30am-12pm

Location: TBD

NGO meeting with EU EDs at the World Bank

Time: 11am-1pm

Location: MC C1-100, World Bank complex

Fiscal Space and Fiscal Priorities: Infrastructure, Trade and Poverty

Speakers: Nancy Alexander, Citizens’ Network on Essential Services; Carlos Tautz,   IBASE (Brazil); Shefali Sharma, Bank Information Center (South Asia Office) ;Anand Rajaram, Lead Economist, Public Sector Group, Poverty Reduction and Economic Managment Network (WB), Marijn Verhoeven, Deputy Division Chief, Fiscal Affairs Department (IMF)
Moderator: Aldo Calairi, Center of Concern

This panel discussion will address the pros and cons of fiscal space for infrastructure when infrastructure is trade-related, what they mean for current proposals by the World Bank and IMF on fiscal space, and the importance of an assessment that looks jointly at the trade and financial aspects on the grounds of poverty reduction, development and environment goals.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

International Working Group on Trade-Finance Linkages and Heinrich Boell Foundation

Time: 12:30pm-1:30pm

Location: MC C1-200, World Bank complex

Shaping Bank Pilot Training Programs for Civil Society

Speaker: Meg Kinghorn, World Learning

Be the first to give input into a pilot program to make the wide array of World Bank trainings available to civil society representatives. Help create a survey process to best determine interest and relevance in your region.

A light lunch will be served.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

World Learning

Time: 1pm-3pm

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

Preventing New Rounds of Debt

Speakers: Lidy Nacpil, International Coordinator, Jubilee South; Oscar Ugarteche, LATINDAD;Aldo Caliari, CIDSE; Mark Roland Thomas, Senior Economist, Economic and Policy Department (WB); Regis N’Sonde, Advisor to ED Francophone African Countries, IMF (TBC)
Moderator: Neil Watkins, National Coordinator, Jubilee USA Network

The session will look at the Debt Sustainability Framework and table alternative proposals to promote "responsible lending" among creditors and engage officials and staff at the Bank in a discussion on them. Are the incentives set-out in the DSF and the Bank's free-rider policy suitable to ensure responsible lending practices by the creditors? How would civil society proposals better promote these goals?

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

CIDSE, Eurodad, Jubilee USA, Jubilee South, Afrodad, Latindad.

Time: 2pm-3:30pm

Location: MC C1-200, World Bank complex

The DRC’s Natural Resources: A Roundtable Discussion on Forestry, Mining and the Role of Donor Institutions

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID), Broederlijk Delen, Rainforest Foundation UK, Greenpeace International, Congolese civil society representatives (to be confirmed), and BIC.

NGO meeting with EU EDs at the IMF

Time: 3pm-5pm

Location: Gender Action
1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1012
Washington D.C.

National Sovereignty Versus Aid Cartels in the Global South

Nancy Alexander, Globalization Challenge Initiative, Washington

Oscar Ugarteche, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Mark Weisbrot, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington

Chinese Government Official (invited)Additional panelists TBA

The panelists would address perspectives from various parts of the Global South: Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and China. Some questions that may guide the panel discussion are: How is the "aid effectiveness" process unifying donors and creditors into a policy cartel? How do alternative sources of financing increase national policy space in comparison to IFI financing? Are these alternative financing sources sustainable in the long-run? Are there country-level examples where such financing mechanisms have directly led to governments implementing development-oriented economic policies? Which serve as models for replication in other regions? Do any alternative financing initiatives carry attached policy conditions? If yes, how do they differ from the policy conditions of the IFIs?

Jubilee USA, Action Aid USA, Gender Action, 50 Years is Enough Network, Center for Economic and Policy Research, and the Center of Concern

Please RSVP by April 11 to

Time: 3pm-6pm

Location: J-1-050

IEO Evaluation of the IMF and Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa

Moderator:Jo Marie Griesgraber, Executive Director of New Rules for Global Finance Coalition

This dialogue will build on the recently published IEO report,The IMF and Aid to Sub-Saharan Africa (available in English, French, and Portuguese at (www.imf.org/ieo). It will provide an opportunity to explore CSO concerns about the IMF’s work on aid and poverty reduction in Sub-Saharan African countries, especially with respect to the perceived (i) blocking of the use of aid through the design of PRGF macroeconomic policies; (ii) lack of ambition in IMF aid forecasts and analysis of aid absorptive capacity; and (iii) failure of PRGFs to be informed by the Poverty Reduction and Strategy process and systematic Poverty and Social Impact Analysis. It also will consider CSO questions about how the evaluation’s recommendations relate to those of the recently issued "Malan Report", especially with respect to the future role of the Fund in Sub-Saharan African countries.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

New Rules for Global Finance Coalition, IMF Independent Evaluation Office/IEO

Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

IDA-15 Replenishment

Speaker: Philippe H. Le Houerou, Vice President, Concessional Finance and Global Partnerships (WB)

Mr. Le Houerou will provide an update on the process so far for the 15th International Development Association replenishment process, as well as discuss next steps in the process.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Concessional Finance and Global Partnerships Vice Presidency/CFP (WB)

Time: 5pm-8pm

Location: Buffalo Billiards (1330 19th St., NW)

CSO Hang-out at Buffalo Billiards (back by popular demand)

Bank Information Center

Time: 8:30am-10am

Location: MC C1-100, World Bank complex

Reforming the Governance of the IMF / World Bank: Is the Singapore agenda enough?

Panelists: Peter Chowla, Bretton Woods Project; Nancy Birdsall, Center for Global Development
Speakers: Juergen Zattler, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; Joseph Masawe, Senior Advisor to ED for Anglophone African Countries, IMF; Amar Bhattacharya, G24 (TBC)
Moderator: Nuria Molina, Eurodad

This dialogue will address the Monterrey Consensus call to “enhance the participation of developing countries” in IMF and World Bank decision-making and engage shareholder governments and civil society in answering the question: How far does the agenda of reforms agreed last year in Singaporego in achieving that purpose ?

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

CIDSE, Bretton Woods Project, Eurodad

Time: 9am-10:30am

Location: MC C1-200

Chad-Cameroon Pipeline: Implementation Challenges and Lessons Learned

Speakers: Delphine Djiraibe, Chadian Association for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights; Nikki Reisch, Bank Information Center; Martin Zint - AG Erdoel, Germany - coordinator of a German coalition of NGOs and Church-based organizations working on the Chad/Cameroon project.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Environmental Defense

Time: 10am-12:30pm

Location: BIC (1100 H Street NW, suite 650. Entrance is on 11th street)

CSO Strategy Session on IDA 15

An opportunity for civil society organizations to exchange priorities with respect to the IDA 15 process and to discuss the potential development of a common platform.

Bank Information Center

Contact: Manish Bapna,

Implementation of IFC’s Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability

Speakers: Rachel Kyte, Director of Environment and Social Development Department,Motoko Aizawa, Head of Policy and Standards Unit, Environment and Social Development Department

IFC staff will present the implementation of the Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability (PPS) a year after it was adopted. Civil Society representatives will have an opportunity to discuss and comment about implementation of the PPS.

Time: 10am

Location: Meeting Hall, World Bank

Time: 11am-1pm

Location: MC C1-200, World Bank complex

World Campaign for in-depth reform of the system of international institutions: Towards the refoundation of BWIs within the UN system

Speakers: Aldo Caliari, Center for Concern, Jeff Powell, Bretton Woods Project, Josep Xercavins and Marta Garrich (UBUNTU Secretariat)

The workshop will explore alternatives to the current IFI-UN relationship. The World Campaign for in-depth Reform of the System of International Institutions promotes a series of reforms in international institutions towards a global system of democratic governance, via representative procedures open to all actors in the international arena. Its objective is to contribute to the creation of a coherent, transparent, responsible and effective global architecture – based on the development of the international law – whose centre is a stronger, more democratic United Nations, with the real control of all its bodies, agencies and of global multilateral organizations.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

World Forum of Civil Society Networks Ad Hoc Secretariat.

Time: 12pm

Location: Auditorium, Room R-710, IMF Headquarters

Time: 1pm-2:30pm

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

The World Bank and Climate Change: A Roundtable Discussion on Forests, Fossil Fuels, and the Bank’s Climate Commitments

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Oil Change International, Greenpeace, Rainforest Foundation UK, Bretton Woods Project, WEED (Germany), BIC

Time: 2pm-4pm

Location: MC C1-200, World Bank complex

IMF Macroeconomic Policies and their Impacts on Education Budgets and Teachers' Wages

This session will discuss the findings of a soon to be released report by Action Aid, titled "Confronting the Contradictions". The report finds that IMF macroeconomic policy advice in Malawi, Mozambique and Sierra Leone seems to be the main driver for the low ceilings on public sector wage bills. These ceilings, in turn, impact the number of teachers governments can hire. The study proposes a new approach which bases wage bill ceilings on the real need for financing teachers and which are adopted only after discussions with all relevant parties, including Ministries of Education and civil society organizations. Alternative policies that allow for greater fiscal and policy space must be adopted if the 2015 Millennium Development Goal on primary school completion is to be met in these countries.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Action Aid International

Time: 4pm-5:30pm

Location:

World Bank

“I” Building

1850 I Street, NW

Room 1-200

The agenda of the Development Committee and Africa as a focal point for growth and responsibility

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany
Antoinette M. Sayeh, Minister of Finance,
Republic of Liberia
Moderator: Frank Schroeder, Senior Economist, FES New York

As in previous years, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation will facilitate a discussion during the IFI spring meetings for NGO representatives with the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, to discuss current issues on the agenda of the Development Committee of the World Bank.

Furthermore, given Germany’s role in 2007 as head of the double presidency of the EU and G8, the event will debate how this mandate can contribute to progress on global issues such as poverty reduction, the fight against infectious diseases, climate change and energy. The German presidency has made Africa a priority for development. Therefore, a central topic in this year’s meeting with NGO representatives will be how to foster partnerships with African countries. In order to ensure a balanced and participatory discussion on Africa, we have invited Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, Finance Minister of Liberia, to the meeting. We have asked Ms. Sayeh to share her views with us on the priorities for Africa and the required international support to achieve sustainable improvements in the living conditions of the African people.

Friedrich Ebert Foundation

Time: 9am

Location: Preston Auditorium, World Bank Headquarters

Time: 10am-11:30am

Location: IMF Auditorium (HQ1-R710)

The Banque de France Financial Stability Review's special issue on hedge funds

Panelists: Jaime Caruana, Counsellor and Director of the Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF; Andrew Crockett, JP Morgan Chase International; Philipp M. Hildebrand, Swiss National Bank; David A. Hsieh, Duke University, Patrick Stevenson, Atlas Capital Limited, Axel A. Weber, Deutsche Bundesbank.

Christian Noyer, Governor of the Banque de France, invites Spring Meetings participants to a panel discussion on the Banque de France Financial Stability Review’s special issue on hedge funds.

For more information visit: http://www.banque-france.fr/home.htm

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Banque de France

Time: 9am-5:30pm

Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1800 K St. NW, Washington, DC

The impacts of climate change on international development

Friends of the Earth, ActionAid International USA, Oxfam America, Heinrich Boell Foundation, Jubilee USA Network, Oil Change International, and Center for American Progress

RSVP required: www.foe.org/climatechangeconference

Time: 10am-12:30pm

Location: MC C1-100, World Bank complex

Discussion on the World Bank's Governance Strategy and Implementation Plan

Speakers: Sanjay Pradhan, Director, Public Sector Governance, PREM (WB), Peter Harrold, Director, (OPCS)

Sanjay and Peter will present the findings of the extensive consultation process on the governance and anti-corruption framework, which was recently approved by the Bank’s Executive Directors.  They will also discuss the next steps in the implementation of the framework and how civil society can be involved at the country level.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Transparency International (TI)

Time: 12pm-1:30pm

Location: MC C1-200, World Bank complex

Forthcoming World Development Report 2008: Agriculture for Development

Speakers:  Derek Byerlee, WDR Co-Director and Senior Advisor, Africa Sustainable Development Department & Alain de Janvry, WDR Co-Director and Professor of Agricutlural and Resource Economics and Public Policy ( U. of California at Berkeley).

Moderator: Merrell Tuck-Primdahl, Senior Communications Officer, DEC Vice-Presidency, WB

The 2008 World Development Report: Agriculture for Development, to be published in October, analyzes options for enhancing the role of agriculture in development after years of under- and mis-investment investment. The report’s co-authors will make the case for a ‘new agriculture’ that can maximize the sector’s potential for reducing poverty and will explain the consultative process for this year's report.

A light lunch will be served.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Development Economics Vice Presidency (WB)

Time: 2pm-3:30pm

Location: MC C1-100,

World Bank complex

Progress Report on Africa Action Plan

Chair: Sylvain Browa, Senior Manager for Partnership & Development Impact
Speakers: John Page, Chief Economist, World Bank Africa Region

The World Bank Group responded to Africa’s challenge by implementing its Action Plan to support Africa’s Development — known as the "Africa Action Plan." A plan through which the Bank committed to working with African governments and their development partners to deliver specific results.The Africa Action Plan embraces 25 priority initiatives — supported by more than 100 specific actions — to address important development challenges in four major areas:
--Strengthening the outcome focus of national strategies,
--Achieving more rapid, shared economic growth,
--Building capable states, and
--Strengthening the global development partnership.

This session will provide an assessment of progress achieved during the first year of implementation.

Time: 2pm-3:30pm

Location: MC C-100, World Bank complex

Financing of Education in Fragile States and Conflict Affected Countries

Speakers: Gene Sperling, Senior Fellow for Economic Policy and Director of the Center for Universal Education Council on Foreign Relations; Janice Dolan, Save the Children UK; Michael Klossen, Associate Vice President and Chief Finance Officer, Save the Children US

This session will discuss the findings of a new Save the Children Alliancereport "Last in Line, Last in school: How Donors are Failing Children in Conflict-affected Fragile States". The report documents that of the 77 million children out of school today, 39 million - more than half - live in countries affected by conflict. These children are also less likely to complete their education and the quality of education they receive is frequently substandard. The report calls for donors to increase funding to conflict-affected fragile states in order that the world's most marginalized children will have access to quality education.

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Save the Children

Time: 10:30am-12:30pm

Location:

World Bank
I Building
Room: I 2-250

Extractive Industries Revenue and Contract Transparency Meeting with the World Bank Group

Speakers: Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs, Bank Information Center; Uche Igwe, Nigeria EITI; John Strongman, Head of EITI Team, World Bank

World Bank/Civil Society Policy Forum

Bank Information Center