STWR - Share The World's Resources

In February 2010, the IMF reversed its long-held position on capital controls by admitting that they constitute a “legitimate component” of the policymakers’ toolkit. Is this a sign of waning Fund support for uncontrolled finance?

The push for trade liberalisation by the World Bank and IMF has contributed to increases in poverty and food insecurity in many African countries, finds a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A paper, co-authored by the IMF’s chief economist, has admitted that orthodox macroeconomic policies may have exacerbated the recent financial crisis. Will the Fund now move away from its traditional insistence on low inflation at any social cost?

In a changing political climate, the IMF is looking towards reforming its governance and mandate. The UN and other commentators insist that it must fundamentally rethink the monetary and fiscal policies it demands of borrowers as well, says the Bretton Woods Project.

The Fair Trade movement represents one attempt to ensure that producers in the developing world are protected from the exploitative tendencies of the free market. But does certification actually guarantee a better outcome for growers, or is it merely a marketing tool, asks Jill Richardson.

Mexico’s experience with NAFTA underscores the need to reform international trade agreements. Governments must shape new policies that respect the right to development and protect the environment, says a report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

In response to the global economic downturn, the World Bank has prioritised middle-income nations over the poorest countries and ignored the key social and environmental outcomes of its financing, finds a report the Heinrich Böll Foundation.