Mother and daughter are carrying a heavy load of beans

Policy Paper

What is “Country Ownership"? Do Social and Environmental Safeguards Destroy It?

January 26, 2012 - Do development institutions have a choice between safeguards and "country ownership”? The World Bank’s new lending instrument – the Program-for-Results – abandons binding safeguards in the name of “country ownership.” This paper asserts that both country ownership and safeguards are necessary to achieve development results. Nancy Alexander more»

Policy Paper

How Policymakers Can Help Firms Get Rights Right

 - January 27, 2012 - Susan Ariel Aaronson, Associate Research Professor of the Elliott School, George Washington University, underscores how firms often operate in states where human rights may not be respected. For these and other firms, the Guiding Principles (GP) on Business and Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 2011, delineate their human rights responsibilities. This paper identifies how policy-makers can help firms meet these responsibilities.   Susan Ariel Aaronson more»

Policy Paper

Submission to the 2012 Earth Summit Outcome Document ‘Zero Draft’

 - November 16, 2011 - The 2012 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is scheduled for June 20-22, 2012 – right "on the heels" of the Mexican G20 Summit on June 18-19, 2012. Will the G20 Summit support or undermine the goals of the 2012 Earth Summit?  This paper describes the risk that, unless the G20 changes its orientation, it could undermine hopes for positive outcomes at the 2012 Summit. Nancy Alexander and Peter Riggs more»

Article

The Position of IMF Managing Director

 - July 12, 2011 - Christine Lagarde is the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Undoubtedly, this is a step forward in the right direction, and would have been difficult to imagine only a few years ago. Barbara Unmüßig and Rainer Falk more»

Policy paper

The World Bank's Proposed Program for Results (P4R)

 - April 7, 2011 - This paper critiques the World Bank's proposed Program for Results (P4R) instrument by examining protections of the environment and affected communities and control of corruption (Part I); the effectiveness of proposed mechanisms of accountability (Part II); and the integrity of the consultation process on the proposed P4R instrument (Part III). Part IV presents conclusions. Nancy Alexander more»

Report

“Relevant” Regulation of Food Derivatives

 - April 7, 2011 -

This paper examines how the current WTO negotiations propose limits or disciplines on governmental regulations. The paper focuses on regulations that limit or discourage speculators from participating in commodity markets, which contributes to volatility in the prices of food commodities. To demonstrate this point, the paper presents a case study of a specific policy option for regulation of derivatives. It concludes with a description of options for resolving the ambiguity of selected disciplines.

Daniela Garretón, Mary Arutyunyan and Robert Stumberg more»

Parliamentary Motion

More Market and More State – For Stable Financial Markets

 - October 27, 2010 - Under the heading “More market and more state – for stabile financial markets” the parliamentary group of German Alliance 90/The Greens this summer passed a comprehensive motion asking for a better regulation of financial markets and financial products. The motion demands a strengthening of supervision and banking regulation in order to allow market mechanisms to function again.  more»

Report

The Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA) and Allocation of IDA Resources

 - August 16, 2010 - This paper recommends that the World Bank distribute its assistance to Africa in more equitable ways. On August 16, 2010, it was presented to the African Caucus of Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors, and World Bank and IMF Executive Directors in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Caucus established a Task Force to advocate that the World Bank implement the recommendations. Nancy Alexander more»

policy papers

Series of Policy Papers on Trade and Investment

 - May 25, 2010 - The South Centre (Geneva) and the Harrison Institute of Georgetown Law Center (Washington, D.C.) prepared the following six papers which focus on the fact that, whereas tariffs are a primary barrier to trade in goods, domestic laws and regulations are the primary barrier to trade in service sectors. more»

Policy Paper

The World Bank Reboots

 - May 10, 2010 - The World Bank’s Investment Lending Reforms (ILR) will significantly shift the way in which the institution operates.  This re-issued paper contains updated information on the reforms and the implications of these reforms for people and the environment in recipient countries. Nancy Alexander more»

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