From donor to investor: The dangers of the development paradigm shift As significant cuts to ODA are made, a narrative shift by rich donor countries attempts to detract attention from reduced spending.

While donors cut ODA, shifting “from donor to investor”, the World Bank Group & IMF continue to root development on private capital mobilisation, a model that deepens debt and impact essential human development outcomes

More in #BWObserver Spring 2026:
🔗 tinyurl.com/DonorInvestor

US pressure puts World Bank's climate plan at risk Closed-door talks over the World Bank’s climate agenda have stalled, as the US pushes to scrap green targets and expand support for fossil fuels

News Lens: WorldBank's work to tackle climate change is under threat as the Trump administration pushes the lender to ditch its green targets and step up support for fossil fuel infrastructure in the developing world, via @climatechangenews.com

www.climatechangenews.com/2026/04/16/u...

Mitigating currency mismatch in development finance: MDBs and local currency lending MDBs must consider local currency lending a central pillar of their development mandate.

WorldBankGroup and other MDB shareholders must show political will and support #LocalCurrencyLending as “Billions to Trillions” fails to materialise and #JustTransition challenges mount.

See more in our #BWObserver Spring 2026👇

www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/miti...

IEO’s fiscal policy evaluation highlights serious flaws in IMF surveillance IEO’s new fiscal policy evaluation identifies flaws that strengthens CSO calls for mandatory distributional, climate and gender impact assessments.

The IMF Independent Evaluation Office has released its report on the Fund’s fiscal policy advice which finds significant shortcomings and calls for concrete improvements in the ongoing surveillance review #CivilSociety #IMFMeetings #BWObserver

🔗 tinyurl.com/IEOFiscalPol...

CEPR's Andres Arauz and Ivana Vasic-Lalovic are hosting a panel on April 16 to explore capital flight & IMF surveillance as part of the IMF Spring Meeting's Civil Society Policy Forum. 
@taxjustice.net @latindadd.bsky.social @menafem.bsky.social  @brettonwoodsproject.org 

Britain as a global financial superpower: The UK’s 2027 G20 Presidency is a historic opportunity to fix the system UK’s 2027 G20 Presidency offers a rare chance to fix systemic imbalances at little cost.

UK 2027 #G20 Presidency has real power to reform global debt & tax rules. A fairer financial system that unlocks resources for poorer countries & strengthen stability and resilience at home.

Read @mariafinnerty.bsky.social (@cafod.bsky.social) analysis in #BWObserver Spring 2026
🔗 tinyurl.com/UKG20

Civil society engagement under the IMF’s CSO guidelines This Inside the Institutions examines the IMF’s review of its civil society engagement guidelines in the context of increasing programme scrutiny.

As the #IMFMeetings start this week, our latest Inside the Institutions looks at IMF's review of its civil society engagement guidelines amid growing CSOs scrutiny of programme conditionality and backlash against reforms #IMF #CivilSociety

🔗 tinyurl.com/IMFCSOEngage...

Civil Society Policy Forum: Spring Meetings 2026 The Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is the World Bank Group’s largest platform for engagement with civil society.

#HappeningToday: BWP is joining colleagues from @eurodadnews.bsky.social, @ituc.bsky.social & @ilo.org to discuss "What is a good job?"

If you are in DC join us in person:
🕐15:00 - 16:30 EDT
📍 WBG I Room: I 2-220

Or watch online 💻
www.worldbank.org/en/events/20...

#WBMeetings

Bretton Woods Institutions and the financialisation of food systems BWP’s new report examines how IMF and World Bank policies have contributed to reshaping global food systems to prioritise financial speculation over food security.

⚠️ The result:
Speculation is inflating prices and turning sufficient global supply into unaffordable food - worsening hunger and inequality, especially for women and girls.

📄 Read the report: tinyurl.com/FoodSecurity...

/end

📊 Financial actors now dominate commodity markets.

📈 Prices can spike even when supply is stable.

🏦 IMF & World Bank-backed reforms have integrated food systems into global financial markets.

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Bretton Woods Institutions and the financialisation of food systems BWP’s new report examines how IMF and World Bank policies have contributed to reshaping global food systems to prioritise financial speculation over food security.

📢 New BWP report: Hard-wiring hunger

Today’s food crises are not just about scarcity — they’re about how markets are structured and priced. Financial speculation is increasingly shaping global food systems.

tinyurl.com/FoodSecurity...

Our findings ⤵️

🧵1/

Spring Meetings 2026 Preamble: ‘Rupture in world order’ further challenges IMF and World Bank’s legitimacy Spring Meetings take place amid increasing tensions among key Global North shareholders.

The #IMFMeetings & #WBGMeetings are kicking off today.

Check out our Preamble for an in-depth analysis of the current context, with the 'rupture in world order’ further challenging IMF and World Bank's legitimacy.

🔗 www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/spri...

Global governance and development: Toward equitable burden sharing and agenda-setting Global governance has kept the UN out of financial policy decision-making and norm-setting, leaving Global South countries hostage to the damaging consequences of BWIs neoliberal policies.

New comment by Rafaela Venturella & Bruno Schreiner for #BWObserver Spring 2026 argues international financial architecture design has limited @UN’s ability to influence financial policy, leaving Global South hostage to damaging neoliberal policies

🔗 tinyurl.com/CommentSprin...

Civil society calls for debt cancellation and end to IMF-mandated austerity as cyclone devastates Sri Lanka With Cyclone Ditwah and war in Iran hitting debt laiden Sri Lanka, civil society calls for urgent debt cancellation.

With climate shocks like Cyclone Ditwah and war in Iran hitting debt-laiden economies such as Sri Lanka – now under its 17th IMF programme – it's clearer than ever that debt cancellation is urgently needed

Read more in our #BWObserver Spring 26👇

www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/civi...

My piece for @brettonwoodsproject.org #BWObserver @cafod.bsky.social:

"The UK can demonstrate that true superpower status in the modern age can be measured by the fairness of the systems we uphold, placing Britain at the centre of sustainable financing."

www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/brit...

As #IMF & #World Bank Spring Meetings begin next week, rising instability, violations of international law, and shifting alliances are deepening BWIs legitimacy crisis.

Read more in our Dispatch Spring Meetings 2026💫 www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/spri...

Cover if the Fuel Subsidies report showing a demonstration in the streets of Cairo in 2012

Only full reform of BWIs fossil fuel subsidy policies can support industrial policies in Global South that enable a feminist whole-of-economy just energy transition

📖 Read full report: www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/gend...

Contrary to IMF & World Bank claims this report finds fuel subsidy reform entrenches power of fossil fuel multinationals 💸 reproduces structural inequalities & leaves the most marginalised fuel consumers to bear the costs.

In 🇪🇬Egypt current IMF loan requires halving fuel subsidies in FY 2025-26 with full removal by Dec 2025.

@menafem.bsky.social research argues this creates “a transfer of crisis management from the state to households and within households from men to women”

BWIs argue removing fuel subsidies can free up fiscal space to invest in social spending & support climate goals by reducing emissions.

But because they target consumer subsidies not the ones sustaining fossil fuel production these claims are highly questionable❗

Cutting fuel subsidies was a key plank of BWIs 1980s structural adjustment programmes rolling back welfare privatising energy & increasing reliance on debt & private capital.

Criticised then for spiking fuel prices & deepening poverty it’s now rebranded as a “pro-poor” climate policy 👇

🚨 #NewReport: Our latest research shows fuel subsidy removals backed by World Bank & IMF in Egypt, Kenya & Bangladesh hit women girls & gender-diverse people hardest who bear the brunt of rising fuel & living costs 🧵

www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/gend...

Spring 2026 This issue highlights how the World Bank’s role in US-led Board of Peace sparks concerns over politicisation, weakened UN authority, and accountability gaps, as well as debates around IMF fiscal…

🚨Now out #BWObserver Spring 2026

CSOs raise concerns about the WorldBank's controversial role in the US-led Board of Peace, together with questions on accountability, rising debt pressures and IMF's austerity, and unequal development models shaping the global economy.

🔗 tinyurl.com/BWObserverSp...

Grading the World Bank Group on climate just principles: A scorecard on the Bank’s 2025 climate finance BWP’s scorecard gives World Bank’s a C- on its reported climate finance for FY 2025.

The International Court of Justice makes clear wealthy countries have a legal duty to provide adequate climate finance.

We cannot rely on World Bank to deliver the lion's share. #PayUp

🔗 Full scorecard findings: www.brettonwoodsproject.org/2026/04/grad...

3️⃣ About 20% ($9.9bn) of climate finance came as policy-based lending - funds tied to government implementing reforms

This raises concerns, as public consultations aren’t required, undermining ownership and inclusivity

2️⃣Around 23% ($11.6bn) was channelled through its private-sector arms, IFC & MIGA, which provide no project-level transparency.

This makes a sizeable portion of the Bank’s climate finance impossible for the public to independently verify or scrutinise 👀

1️⃣ In 2025, 91% ($46.25bn) of climate finance from the Bank was loan-based

This adds debt burdens to countries least responsible for the climate crisis but facing its worst impacts – contradicting the UNFCCC principle of common but differentiated responsibilities 👇

New BWP Scorecard gives World Bank grade C- on climate finance against #ClimateJustice principles

The World Bank reported $50.8bn in climate finance in 2025 – but concerns remain over whether it meets justice and equity principles, with only 9% provided as grants 🧵

"This is not only about markets or oil prices, but whether the international system can respond in time to avoid deepening already existing debt vulnerabilities," argue @kevinpgallagher.bsky.social, @becky-ray.bsky.social & @marinazucker.bsky.social in their new research👇

www.bu.edu/gdp/2026/03/...

Why Resource Justice Must Be Structural, Political, and Feminist | Resource Justice Network For decades, we have fought for transparency in the extractive sector, believing that ‘sunlight is the best disinfectant’. But we have learned a hard truth: transparency alone does not shift the funda...

"Extraction is a political choice that carries a profoundly unequal cost—one that falls most heavily on women and marginalised communities," says @menafem.bsky.social's @shereentt.bsky.social in new blog for Resource Justice Network

resourcejustice.org/why-resource...