http://www.bicusa.org/en/Issue.10.aspx The latest news on U.S. Government Oversight from the Bank Information Center 10 http://www.infodev.org/images/infodev.gif http://www.bicusa.org/en/Issue.10.aspx The staff of Senator Richard Lugar released a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations calling for reform of the IFIs before Congress approves upcoming capital replenishment requests for the institutions. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:10:34 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx The proposed capital increases for the World Bank and IFC would expand their size without expanding the scope of their reform. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11771.aspx Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:08:59 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11771.aspx On the eve of Friday's meeting by G7 finance ministers in Iqaluit, Canada, 94 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that also called for 'the provision of assistance to Haiti in the form of grants so that the country does not accumulate additional debts. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11762.aspx Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:50:13 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11762.aspx Within the context of the upcoming general capital increase for the World Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Treasury Department produced a document outlining U.S. reform priorities for these multilateral development banks. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11752.aspx Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:21:26 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11752.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11739.aspx Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:00:30 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11739.aspx All the latest news from the IDB Global Capital Increase (GCI-9) and the Annual Meetings taking place from March 19-23, 2010 http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11736.aspx Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:02:40 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11736.aspx The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently released guidelines on the funding of coal power plants by multilateral development banks, prompting mixed reactions from civil society. BIC board member Athena Ballesteros and Sustainable Energy Expert Yong Chen are quoted, expressing enthusiasm as well as concern about the guidelines and their effectiveness. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11732.aspx Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:58:25 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11732.aspx On December 14th, the U.S. Treasury released a note titled "Guidance to MDBs for Engaging with Developing Countries on Coal-Fired Power Generation" which will guide how U.S. representatives to MDBs deal with proposed coal projects. Here, BIC comments on the functionality of the new policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11715.aspx Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:17:21 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11715.aspx In December 2009, the U.S. Treasury released a guidance note intended to be adapted by individual MDBs and incorporated into their respective operational policies, country and sector strategies, and other procedures that are related to the public or private project cycle for coal-powered generation operations. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11708.aspx Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:25:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11708.aspx In 2009, Development Policy Operations increased dramatically as a percentage of overall World Bank lending, from an average of about 33% to over 50%. Dogged by concerns that stem from a lack of a strong set of safeguard policies or clear results, this shift to greater dependence on DPLs/DPOs raises concerns about arbitrage by Bank clients to soften or avoid transparency and accountability commitments. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11612.aspx Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:24:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11612.aspx The World Bank is quietly preparing the first capital increase in nearly 20 years to replenish the coffers after unprecedented lending in 2008 and the coming two years. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11608.aspx Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:13:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11608.aspx Guadalajara Civil Society Meetings in Guadalajara, Mexico open with increased demands for consultation process accountability, transparency guarantees. Good faith participation by CSOs rests on Bank decision to disclose and discuss a second draft of the proposed revisions to the Independent Consultation and Inspection Mechanism (ICIM). http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11606.aspx Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:29:07 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11606.aspx The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) sidesteps civil society concerns raised regarding a proposal advanced by the IDB in Santiago, Chile on July 2 to increase its capital base by $100-$200 billion, which would triple Bank annual lending from an average of $US 6 billion since the last replenishment to a projected $16-19 billion per year. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11344.aspx Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:09:11 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11344.aspx Since moving to Washington in January, Geithner has been secretly crashing at his old friend Daniel Zelikow's posh manse in the District's tony Kalorama neighborhood. Zelikow, a former Wall Street hotshot who now serves as executive vice president of the Inter-American Development Bank, is a college buddy of Geithner's. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11343.aspx Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:45:18 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11343.aspx Within the current context of a global capital increase proposal by the Inter-American Development Bank that would permit the Bank to triple its current annual lending volume, 20 civil society organizations from 10 countries demanded that the IDB not renew its mandate to participate in the Technical Coordination Committee (CCT) of IIRSA based on the inconsistency of IIRSA practices with Bank safeguard and operating policies. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11342.aspx Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:45:56 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11342.aspx After months of internal planning and vibrant debate over how to best position the Bank to garner an unprecedented capital increase, IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno acknowledged the receipt of a ten page civil society proposal of needed reforms, but failed to respond in any detail to any of the substantive arguments. Instead, the President delegated External Relations to outline a delayed and ambiguous consultation process that the Bank Board is expected to endorse in the coming weeks http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11341.aspx Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:27:52 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11341.aspx Honduras' finance minister in exile maintains that the recent army-backed coup could cost the poverty-stricken Central American country $450 million in financing from international organizations this year. Without funding from multinational organizations and foreign countries, many of Honduras' social programs and public investments could be in jeopardy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11298.aspx Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:36:14 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11298.aspx In the context of a 9th Global Capital Increase request, for which the IDB is designing a new institutional strategy anchored by sustainability, equity and development goals, IIRSA has not demostrated compatibility with these goals and should be abandoned by the Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11292.aspx Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:43:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11292.aspx As member countries assess the 9th replenishment proposal advanced by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on July 2 in Santiago, Chile, eight civil society organizations submitted recommendations on leadership steps the IDB should take in several critical areas before qualifying for any capital increase. These recommendations focus on two core areas of the IDB’s comparative advantage as a development bank in Latin America, Sustainability and Management for Development Results. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11274.aspx Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11274.aspx The IDB looks to recapitalize their resources according to the recommendations in the report written by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, former Finance minister of Peru. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11112.aspx Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:18:34 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11112.aspx The Inter-American Development Bank should not receive public funding unless it becomes fully accountable to member governments and the public. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11082.aspx Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:59:11 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11082.aspx The reported scale of the Inter-American Development Bank's investment portfolio losses of $1.9 billion — 10 to 100 times higher than the losses of the other development banks http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11042.aspx Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:55:38 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11042.aspx The governments of the United States and Peru have reached an agreement to reduce Peru’s debt payments in exchange for protecting Peru’s tropical forests. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3921.aspx Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:36:33 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3921.aspx The World Bank Caucus aims to foster dialogue between the World Bank and members of the U.S. Congress on development, poverty and trade issues. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3852.aspx Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:26:56 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3852.aspx While the U.S. remains committed to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its mission of reducing poverty in Asia, objections to the Bank's lending policies and its function are causing concerns that U.S. funding commitments could be cut because of the dispute. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3741.aspx Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:01:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3741.aspx Although the U.S. Treasury has voiced its support for International Monetary Fund (IMF) gold sales under its own set of reform priorities, the ultimate leverage rests with the U.S. Congress. Civil society has started to conduct policy advocacy to the U.S. Congress, calling for the attachment of a number of key policy reforms for development in low-income countries. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3698.aspx Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:56:16 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3698.aspx Representatives of the U.S. Senate judiciary and House financial services committees, urge Hank Paulson, the U.S. Treasury secretary, to demand that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stick to tougher environmental and social criteria. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3696.aspx Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:36:12 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3696.aspx A coalition of U.S. development and environmental groups has released a joint platform containing needed World Bank reforms, ahead of the 15th replenishment of the International Development Association (IDA) negotiations in Dublin, Ireland. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3579.aspx Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:48:32 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3579.aspx The World Bank will focus on labor-intensive export to boost employment in the Arab World. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3526.aspx Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:54:28 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3526.aspx Meg Lundsager was confirmed by the US Senate and is now the official US Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3232.aspx Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:08:35 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3232.aspx Testimonies were presented by nominees Margrethe Lundsager, Eli Whitney Debevoise II and Curtis S. Chin to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and statements were followed by a question and answer period. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3212.aspx Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:47:14 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3212.aspx Representatives of donor countries, also known as IDA Deputies, met in Paris in early March to negotiate the amount of funding they will contribute to IDA's 15th replenishment. Find out more about the how the process works and what to expect. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3167.aspx Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:59:36 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3167.aspx Jennifer Dorn has been serving as Acting Executive Director. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3143.aspx Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:37:42 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3143.aspx US Treasury International Affairs Under-Secretary Timothy D. Adams announced his resignation on February 2, 2007. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3132.aspx Thu, 08 Feb 2007 11:27:08 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3132.aspx BIC and partners challenge World Bank and US Government controversial support of Big Oil in November 14 Financial Times advertisement. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3014.aspx Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:35:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3014.aspx A letter sent to World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz on Friday by six members of the United States Senate objects to the Bank's Doing Business publication because it "appears to discourage countries from upholding established standards of worker rights as set by the ILO." http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2991.aspx Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2991.aspx Highlighting the steps taken by the United Nations, Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa (Republican) and Norm Coleman from Minnesota (Republican) sent a letter to President Paul Wolfowitz seeking a status report on whistleblower protection at the World Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2880.aspx Thu, 13 Jul 2006 16:49:40 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2880.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2874.aspx Mon, 10 Jul 2006 17:46:03 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2874.aspx The Publish What You Pay coalition organized a briefing at the House of Representatives to highlight the lack of transparency and pervasive corruption in oil, gas and mining sector projects in the developing world. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2850.aspx Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:24:59 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2850.aspx New legislation includes provisions targeting reforms at the multilateral development banks (MDBs) http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2489.aspx Thu, 17 Nov 2005 15:15:30 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2489.aspx Learn civil society perspectives on climate change and the G8 debt cancellation proposal, and find out how to act. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2198.aspx Wed, 06 Jul 2005 15:38:25 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2198.aspx African Jubilee South demands restitution, an end to debt and conditionalities http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2170.aspx Wed, 15 Jun 2005 12:32:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2170.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2104.aspx Thu, 05 May 2005 16:39:12 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2104.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2052.aspx Wed, 30 Mar 2005 13:54:32 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2052.aspx The appointment represents the outcome of an opaque and undemocratic selection process and raises serious questions about the future trajectory of the World Bank Group. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1988.aspx Wed, 16 Mar 2005 17:19:28 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1988.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1633.aspx Tue, 21 Sep 2004 15:28:39 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1633.aspx A federal civil service court ruled that former USAID environmental analyst's disclosures of legal violations and mismanagement played a role in decision to abruptly abolish his position in September 2002. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1632.aspx Tue, 21 Sep 2004 11:21:10 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1632.aspx Representatives of prominent African NGOs and trade unions have called upon the G8 to take action on their unfulfilled promises to address the debt, trade and HIV/AIDS issues. Transparency network calls for more disclosure. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1467.aspx Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:18:55 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1467.aspx This follows last week's Foreign Relations Committee hearing on "Combatting Corruption in the MDBs," showing growing interest within the Senate in overseeing International Financial Institutions. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1461.aspx Wed, 19 May 2004 13:20:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1461.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1224.aspx Wed, 04 Feb 2004 17:21:36 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.1224.aspx