About the Bretton Woods Committee |
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History of the Bretton Woods Committee
The Bretton Woods Committee was created in 1983 at the suggestion of two former Treasury officials - Secretary Henry Fowler and Deputy Secretary Charls Walker, a Democrat and a Republican. They saw the need for an organized effort to ensure that leading citizens spoke to Congress about the importance of funding the World Bank and IMF. In recent years, the Committee has also taken on the role of advisor to the multilateral institutions and actively works to enhance their effectiveness. In order to ensure a global perspective, the Committee has broadened its mandate to encourage the active participation of opinion leaders from across the United States and around the world.
Bretton Woods Committee Today
The Bretton Woods Committee is a nonpartisan group of distinguished citizens dedicated to increasing understanding of the World Bank, IMF, WTO and the regional development banks (the so-called "Bretton Woods Institutions") and their efforts to spur economic growth, alleviate poverty and improve financial stability.
The Committee's 700 members hail from across the United States and around the world and are drawn from the ranks of leaders in business, finance and civil society. The group believes that governments must cooperate closely with one another through the Bretton Woods Institutions.
The Committee organizes frequent conferences and seminars. Many of these are designed to reach a broad public audience. Recent programs have included:
- World Bank Climate Investment Funds Roundtable exploring the implication of climate change and the potential effects of the new initiative and investments
- Analyzing the impact of Trade Finance by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank creation of a 'global trade liquidity program to expand access to trade finance to importers and exporters in the developing world'
- New Global Financial Reform
- China's Currency Misalignment and Congressionally Mandated Trade Sanctions
- Strengthening Capital Markets in Emerging Market Countries
- The World Bank's Work in Africa (Hill Forum)
- A look at Inter-American Development Bank President Moreno's development agenda for Latin America
- Examination of how development finance can be used to catalyze private investment in developing countries
- Outlining a proposed path for IMF reform
- Issuing a report card on the World Bank's private sector development efforts
- The Committee's Annual Meeting held in Washington is a high profile event attracting cabinet-level speakers and leading experts to discuss the health of the international economy, issues surrounding economic development and the role of the multilateral institutions.
Two specific Committee working groups provide a more focused agenda for those with specific interests: the (1) International Council and the (2) Multilateral Roundtable.
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