HEADS-UP ON THE WB AND IMF ANNUAL MEETINGS

Washington, DC

October 2008

What’s ahead for the Bank and Fund meetings in Washington, DC?

Once again, the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank are approaching. The official meetings of the Board of Governors, the Development Committee and the International Monetary and Financial Committee will take place from 11 to 13 Octoberin Washington, DC.

The IMF and the Bank are organising a Civil Society Forum to take place from 8 to the 13 September within the premises of the World Bank. Besides, civil society groups are organising a number of public events and strategy sessions in Washington during the week of 6 to 12 October. The food crisis, climate change, and World Bank voice and governance reform are going to be the hot topics on this year’s agenda.

Who’s new in town?

You can find the list of colleagues who will be in Washington, as well as contact details, at . If you are travelling to Washington, please submit your contact details at

Hot topics on the agenda

Development Committee and IMFC Agendas

We will post DC and IMFC documents as they become available.

The tentative agenda for the Development Committee is:

  • Development and Climate Change
  • Food and fuel crisis
  • Voice and Participation
  • Use of World Bank capital

World Bank and CSO Events

CSOs will be able to attend a ‘Townhall meeting’ with senior World Bank and IMF officials on the policy agenda of the Annual Meetings and other topics of interest.The date for the Townhall Meeting is Thursday, October 9, 2008. CSOs will also be able to participate in the 2008 Program of Seminars will be held on Friday, October 10th. The Program comprises panels with high-level Bank, Fund, government, academic, and CSO representatives. This year’s theme will be the global impacts of the ‘food and fuel’ crisis and how to address them. For more informationvisit theProgram of Seminars website.

A tentative schedule

Wednesday, October 8th / TIME / Location / Details/Contacts
Civil society strategy session: Accountability, the IFIs and private finance / 1:00pm -3:30pm / CIEL, Suite #1100, 1350 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) / International Accountability Project (IAP)
For more information, please contact Anne Perrault, CIEL:
Carbon Finance and the World BanK / 3:00pm -- 4:30pm / Friends of the Earth, US, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 600
Friends for the Earth, US (FoE-US) / For more information, please contact: Karen Orenstein, FoE-US:
BankInformationCenter Happy Hour!!! / 6:00pm -- 8:00pm / BIC, 1100 H Street, NW, Suite 650 (entrance is on 11th St.)
/ BankInformationCenter (BIC)
For more information, please contact Ben Bryan () or Srabani Roy ()
Thursday, October 9th
Aid-Scalling up Scenarios: The IMF and the UN MDG Africa Steering Group.
In September 2007, the UN Secretary General launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Africa Steering and Working Groups, which bring together the leaders of multilateral institutions to identify practical steps needed for Africa to achieve the MDGs. The IMF is supporting this initiative, by, among other things, providing macroeconomic assessments of “Gleneagles aid scaling-up scenarios” in 10 country cases. The scenarios are being developed for Benin, Central African Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia. At Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2005, the leaders of the G-8 committed to double aid to Africa by 2010. This event discusses the preparation of these aid-scaling up scenarios.
The discussion will be led by Calvin McDonald of the IMF's African Department and Brett House, UNDP. / 9:30am -- 11:00am / TBD / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum
Climate Change and the World Bank – Help or Hindrance?
With the launch of the Climate Investment Funds, the World Bank has positioned itself as a major player in international climate funding and policy. Speakers on this panel will discuss the World Bank’s past, current, and potential future role in climate change, including examinations of the Bank from Southern country perspectives. The implications of the World Bank’s role for both U.S. climate policy and the financing mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will also be discussed.
Tentative Panelists: Elena Gerebizza, Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale (Italy); Lidy Nacpil, Coordinator of Jubilee South Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development (Philippines) [invited]; Karen Orenstein, International Finance Campaign Coordinator, Friends of the Earth-US; Chima Williams, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth-Nigeria. / 10:00am -- 11:30am / Friends of the Earth, US, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 600 / Action Aid USA, Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), Oil Change International, Sustainable Energy and Economy Network (SEEN), Campagna per la riforma della Banca Mondiale (CRBM), Jubilee USA
For more information, please contact: Karen Orenstein, FoE-US:
How the World Bank Group Gauges 'Broad Community Support' for Projects. / 11:00am -- 12:30pm / World Bank, MainBuilding, Room MCC1-100, 1818 H St., NW / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum, Oxfam America, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), World Resources Institute (WRI)
Bank/Fund/CSO Roundtable on Food Crisis
This workshop will examine key aspects of the global food crisis, especially its impact on vulnerable groups, and hear reports from CSOs, the World Bank Group, IMF and UN on some of the actions being taken to address needs, from financing, analysis and needs assessments, to social protection and nutritional programs. Participants will also discuss longer term food security issues.
Staff from the Bank, Fund, CSOs, and expert will discuss ways to address the global food crisis. / 12:30pm -- 5:30pm / World Bank, MainBuilding, Room MCC1-100, 1818 H St., NW / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum, InterAction, Southern CSO Network, BankInformationCenter (BIC), Eurodad
IFI Transparency and the Global Transparency Initiative Charter / 2:00pm -- 3:30pm / World Bank, MainBuilding, Room MCC1-100, 1818 H St., NW / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum, BankInformaitonCenter (BIC), Global Transparency Initiative (GTI)
CSO Discussion: "World Bank and IMF governance reforms: Where are we at, where are we going?"
This is a planning and strategy meeting for CSOs only is to update groups on current Bank and IMF proposals around governance reforms, identify emerging opportunities and discuss possible responses and initiatives. / 5:15pm -- 6:30pm / Conference Room, Friends of the Earth, US, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 600
/ Bank Information Center (BIC), Bretton Woods Project (BWP), Campagna per la riforma della Banca Mondiale (CRBM), Eurodad, Halifax Initiative Coalition, New Rules for Global Finance
Please contact Fraser Reilly-King, Halifax Initiative, for more information:
IMF/World Bank Townhall Meeting and Reception with CSOs
Dominique Strauss-Khan (Managing Director of the IMF) and Robert B. Zoellick (President of the WBG) will host this townhall and reception for CSO representatives accredited to the Annual Meetings. The townhall will begin with brief comments by Mrss. Strauss-Khan and Zoellick and followed by a question and answer period. / 6:45pm -- 9:00pm / IMF Headquarters, HQ1
Meeting Hall A&B / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Teams
Political Café on the Right to Water and Sanitation at the World Bank.
The World Bank’s policies, programmes and projects have never been explicitly or deliberately aimed towards the realisation of human rights. The Bank rather sees its role in creating conditions that allow the attainment of the right to water and sanitation. In fact, in practice the use of human rights principles can strengthen existing approaches to water supply and sanitation delivery. It is an important ancillary approach that emphasizes the role of governance within a broader framework for action. As a result, there are no good reasons to exclude it from an overall package aimed at increasing access to water and sanitation. This session will be a debate and discussion.Panelists: Dutch Executive Director at the World Bank: Herman Wijffels; Ms. Hameda Deedat, gender, trade and water activist, Umzabalaso We jubilee; UN representative; independent expert. / TBD / TBD
/ Both ENDS
For more information, please contact Anouk Franck at:
Friday, October 10
2008 Program of Seminars-Food and Fuel Crisis
The Program of Seminars creates a forum during the Annual Meetings for private sector representatives, government delegates, representatives of civil society, and senior World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund officials to engage in dialogue on finding solutions to the major financial and development challenges confronting the international community.
The Program includes roundtable plenary and thematic sessions. The topics of the thematic sessions reflect issues that are making headlines and are affecting the lives of people.
The Program promotes partnership, cooperation, and sharing knowledge, experiences, and new ideas. It is designed to interest a broad audience of policymakers, academics, representatives of civil society, private sector, and others who attend the Annual Meetings. / 9:00am -- 6:30pm / TBD / World Bank/IMF
For complete details, please go to:Program of Seminars site,POS Detailed Schedule
Press Briefing: Sub-Saharan Africa Economic Outlook / 9:30am / Main Press Briefing Room, Room B-702 (Blue Level), IMF Headquarters, 700 19th St., NW / Closed to the public.
CSO Discussion: "World Bank and IMF at 65: Looking ahead to 2010"
This strategy and planning meeting for CSOs only is intended to kick-start a conversation among civil society about thoughts and plans leading up to 2010, when the World Bank and IMF turn 65. We hope to identify current and emerging opportunities, map existing plans, raise concerns and generate ideas for common action. / 1:00pm -- 3:00pm / TBD / Bank Information Center (BIC), Bretton Woods Project (BWP), Campagna per la riforma della Banca Mondiale (CRBM), Eurodad, Halifax Initiative Coalition, New Rules for Global Finance
Must RSVP to attend (by October 7) to Fraser Reilly-King, Halifax Initiative:
A Dialogue with Lars Thunell, Executive Vice President and CEO, IFC
This session will begin by a brief comment by Lars to be folowed by a question and answer period. / 3:30pm -- 5:00pm / IFC building
Room L-109, 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / World Bank/IMF Civil Socitey Policy Forum, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Non-Project Aid or Budget Support / 4:00pm -- 5:00pm / TBD / World Bank/IMF Civil Socitey Policy Forum, Oxfam International and Oxfam America (OA)
Book Launch: Development Redefined: How the Market Met its Match
Welcome in fittingly the World Bank annual meetings with the newest book of AmericanUniversity professor Robin Broad and IPS Director John Cavanagh.
Entitled Development Redefined: How the Market Met its Match, the book chronicles the rise and fall of the market-worshipping Washington Consensus, and lays out people-based alternatives to corporate-led globalization. Broad and Cavanagh have written award-winning books on globalization and development, as well as a series of articles on the development debate in Foreign Policy and World Policy. / 6:00pm --8:00pm / Busboys and Poets, 14th and V St., NW / Co-sponsored with ActionAid USA, AFL-CIO, Alliance for Responsible Trade, American University’s International Development Program, Bank Information Center, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Center of Concern, 50 Years is Enough Network, Friends of the Earth US, Gender Action, Heinrich Boell Foundation, International Labor Rights Fund, International Trade Union Congress, Jubilee USA, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, New Rules for Global Finance, and Oil Change International.
The PRGF/PSI, Fiscal Space and Financing for Development
A Focus on Africa: Trends, Prospects and Challenges
This panel discussion will bring together civil society representatives, staff and Board members of the IMF and the World Bank to discuss among other things the trends, prospects and challenges of developing countries using the fiscal plan emanating from the PRGF/PSI for development programmes. It will focus on both policy content and structural reform and the impact of the PRGF/PSI in releasing sufficient resources both domestically and externally-sourced in addressing development needs.
Panelists: IMF (TBC); Daniel Plantz, Economic Affairs Officer, UN Financing for Development Office; Vitalice Meja, Program Director Lobby and Advocacy, AFRODAD
Chair: Bhumika Muchhala, BankInformationCenter (BIC) / TBD / TBD / World Bank/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum, AFRODAD
Please RSVP by email to Vitalice Meja, AFRODAD at: MCanthony Tilla Sawe, IMF:
For any questions or comments please contact Vitalice Meja, AFRODAD:

Useful links

To the Annual Meetings website:

To the IFIwatchnet – listing of planned CSO events:

Eurodad Events Website -

The World Bank Civil Society Website -