Inside the institutions (Bretton Woods Project)

IFC blended finance

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|26 June 2013|update 86|url

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private sector arm, has recently formalised its 'blended finance' approach, undertaking investment in the private sector at lower than market rates using subsidies provided by donors. Donors' concessional funds are combined with the IFC's own non-concessional funding. read article...

World Bank staff incentives

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|8 April 2013|update 85|url

The World Bank Group's staff incentives and compensation schemes are considered important drivers of the Bank institution's successes and failures. read article...

World Bank Group's sub-national lending

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|13 February 2013|update 84|url

The World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC, the Bank's private sector arm) are jointly encouraging sub-national lending to states or provinces, aimed at boosting direct engagement at the state or municipal level. read article...

World Bank corporate scorecard

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|6 December 2012|update 83|url

Every six months the World Bank issues a corporate scorecard, which is submitted each Autumn to the Bank's annual meetings. The scorecard is supposed to "provide a snapshot of the Bank's overall performance, including its business modernisation, in the context of development results." It is compiled by Bank staff to "facilitat[e] strategic dialogue between management and the board on progress made and areas that need attention." read article...

World Bank lending facilities

Inside the inst|Alexandra Peck|3 October 2012|update 82|url

The World Bank's investment lending (ILs) have been joined in recent years by new lending instruments, whilst IL itself faces an overhaul, as the Bank's operational policies come under review and pilots for the use of 'country systems' mature. The Bank is presently using four lending instruments: investment lending, development policy lending (DPL), Program-for-Results, and the World Bank guarantee program. read article...

Revolving doors: staff turnover between IFIs and African governments

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|3 July 2012|update 81|url

The term 'revolving doors' refers to frequent staff turnover between institutions, usually relevant when these represent different interests working on the same policy issues. This serves to foster cross-institutional networks, practices and alliances. The staff turnover between international financial institutions (IFIs) and borrowing governments works as a mechanism through which specific ideas and practices learnt and promoted in IFIs are translated into policies in borrowing countries. read article...

The World Bank and agriculture

Inside the inst|Alexandra Peck|5 April 2012|update 80|url

Agriculture re-emerged in the last decade as a focus of World Bank Group lending, with the Bank claiming that "improving agricultural performance is the most powerful tool we have available to reduce global poverty and hunger." read article...

IMF resources: quota, NAB and GAB

Inside the inst|Bretton Woods Project|7 February 2012|update 79|url

One of the IMF's three roles is lending to members countries with balance of payments difficulties, using resources provided by its other members. Generally, these resources come in two forms: quota contributions tied to voting rights in the institution, and bilateral contributions which do not affect countries' voting rights. read article...

Inside the institutions

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