BWC Blog

How multilateral development banks can deliver climate action

The 2022 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC will take place against perhaps the bleakest background in decades, from the aftermath of COVID-19 to the war in Ukraine, climate change and inflation pressures. 

IFI’s as Game Changers for a new Economy

By: Herman Mulder, Former ABN AMRO Bank; co-initiator of the 2003 Equator Principles; Chair True Price, Impact Economy Foundation; Chair SDG Netherlands.

It’s Time to Rethink the Conventional Macroeconomic Policy Framework

Paul James Sheard is an Australian-American economist. He is Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government.

Legitimacy, Accountability and Inclusiveness: Are The Bretton Woods Institutions “Democratic”?

Professor Susanna Cafaro has taught European Union Law and International Law in the University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) since 2001.

Lessons of the FTX Collapse

The collapse of FTX in many ways is an example of the problems associated with a weakly regulated financial enterprise, as much as it is a demonstration of the problems associated with crypto finance in its current state. 

As a financial enterprise, the bankruptcy of FTX shows the major failings that can arise in an organization with an exceptionally weak governance structure as regards internal financial controls, record-keeping and the oversight of an independent board of directors. There also appear to have been shortcomings in the scope and scrutiny of its outside auditors.

MDBs Loans: a New Asset Class Collateralized Loan Obligations

Multilateral Development Bank balance sheet management with structured financings is still in its infancy but a number of path-breaking deals show the way. Two are by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and one by  International Finance Corporation (IFC) though there have also been some others. These  MDB transactions involve about $13 billion in public and private sector MDB loans. The two from the African Development Bank are both synthetic.

Memo to Congress on why the United States should better Support International Financial Institutions

Background: US foreign affairs programs underpin US soft (nonmilitary) power, which is in decline as these programs have been underfunded. In FY2020, the United States spent $57 billion on international programs, activities, and institutions.

New Emerging Market Contagion Shakes Investor Complacency

Gary Kleiman is a recognized expert in the field of global emerging economies and financial markets. This blog is part of a special series on the coronavirus.

Ongoing Erosion of the Global Economic Order Will Sow More Conflict and Yield No Winners

The successful crafting of the Bretton Woods global economic architecture at the end of WWII followed decades of monumental destruction, bloodshed, and misery.

Open Blog Call: The Future of the WTO

BWC wants to hear its members’ take on whether the outcomes of MC12 conference demonstrate the continued relevance of the WTO as a multilateral institution that can deliver substantial progress for the benefit of the international community? What are the next steps for WTO reform?