Bretton Woods Project

14/04/2026

📢 New BWP report: Hard-wiring hunger: Bretton Woods Institutions and the financialisation of food systems

As global food systems become increasingly integrated into financial markets, food is no longer just traded as a basic necessity, but as a financial asset. Yet this shift is raising serious concerns about its impact on food security and inequality.

Our findings show that today’s food crises are not simply about scarcity, but about how markets are structured and priced — with financial speculation playing a central role.

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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.

09/04/2026

🚀 New BWP report provides evidence of the negative gendered impacts of fuel subsidy removal policies in Egypt, Kenya and Bangladesh.

Our new research shows that despite the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund’s arguments that fuel subsidies are regressive, and that their removal can enhance social spending and contribute to countries’ national climate goals, they support their removal as part of broader austerity measures, rather than addressing subsidies that sustain fossil fuel production, which makes the evidence for their claims extremely questionable.

🔗Read full report:

New BWP’s research provides evidence of the negative gendered impacts of fuel subsidy removal policies in Egypt, Kenya and Bangladesh.

08/04/2026

📢 New Bretton Woods Observer – Spring 2026

This issue explores growing concerns around the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, including the Bank’s controversial role in the US-led Board of Peace and what it means for accountability and the United Nations system.

It also looks at rising debt pressures, shifting development models, and the balance of power in global governance.

Check it out 👇👇

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…

11/12/2025

The Winter 2025 Bretton Woods Observer reviews the unresolved sovereign debt crisis, the limited progress at the UN’s conference, and new questions surrounding International Monetary Fundoversight following Senegal’s discovery of significant undisclosed debt.

It also covers the World Bank’s shareholding review, discussions about legislative tools to manage private creditor participation, analysis of extreme wealth as a macroeconomic risk, and updates from COP30 — including the launch of a Just Transition Work Programme and continued challenges in climate finance.

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This issue spotlights how today’s architecture continues to fail developing countries despite renewed momentum for reform at the UN’s FfD4 conference. It explores mounting calls for fairer IMF and…

22/10/2025

The 2025 Annual Meetings revealed a troubling truth: rather than delivering meaningful reform, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank showcased loyalty to US and private capital interests.

While civil society participation shrunk, austerity and private finance once again dominated the agenda. Promises of reform and inclusion gave way to a tightly managed spectacle.

In a world facing deep debt crises, economic inequality, and climate instability, this approach reinforces — rather than resolves — the global development divide.

🔗 Read our Wrap-up of the Meetings: https://tinyurl.com/WrapUpAnnuals25

Annual Meetings showcased the BWIs’ efforts to prove their loyalty to the current US administration and prioritise private capital, even as multilateralism erodes and civil society space shrinks.

08/10/2025

Our new Bretton Woods Observer – Autumn 2025 is now out.

This edition explores the role of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in eroding the social contract, and other key issues for the global development landscape, such as the future of IMF’s work on climate and the IFC - International Finance Corporation’s Sustainability Framework Review. It also includes analysis from guest authors such as Surya Deva on United Nations reform, C P. Chasendra (International Development Economics Associates) on Trump’s tariffs, and Julia Gerlo (Farn Argentina on the IMF’s review of conditionality & Argentina.

This edition exposes how IMF and World Bank austerity and debt policies fuel inequality, repression, and democratic erosion. From Angola’s mass protests to Argentina’s debt crisis…

07/10/2025

Our new analysis on the International Monetary Fund surveillance finds IMF’s core policy direction has remained consistent over 14 years and is identical to that previously described as “structural adjustment”, consisting of austerity measures, a shrinking of the state and empowerment of the private and external sector.

Access our new briefings to see our analysis and recommendations:

👉 https://tinyurl.com/IMFSurveillanceBriefing

15/07/2025

Our new is out now🚀

This edition covers civil society demands of unconditional debt relief in , the International Monetary Funds upcoming surveillance review, the World Bank's billions to trillions 'fantasy', Sri Lanka, Argentina & the IMF, , and more 🔥👇

This edition covers the Jubilee Year 2025 and calls at FfD4 to break the cycle of debt, IMF's Surveillance review, IDA21 package, Argentina, Sri Lanka and the IMF, and more.