Join Eurodad and partners at the WBG-IMF Annual Meetings

06 October 2022

Join Eurodad and partners at the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF), that will be held in-person in Washington, DC, alongside the WBG-IMF Annual Meetings 2022

Next week Eurodad staff will be at the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF, taking place in Washington in person for the first time in three years.

We will be focusing on some of the most pressing issues of the day: namely the cost-of-living, debt and climate crises, and the wave of austerity currently surging across the world. Countries have to deal with these issues at a time when they are still struggling to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Responses to these crises from the IMF, World Bank and G20 have, until now, either been inadequate or have completely failed. Panel discussions and actions organised by Eurodad, our partners and allies during the Annual Meetings will call for a complete overhaul of the international financial institutions themselves in terms of governance and the tried-and-failed policies they continue to push year in, year out.

The IMF and World Bank would do well to learn from their failures and address civil society’s call for reform and alternatives to austerity.

Below you will find a range of events co-organised by Eurodad and CSO actions. During the week we will also be joining our be publishing new research, joining colleagues across the world in actions calling for debt cancellation and reacting to emerging issues. Follow us on Twitter at @eurodad.

10-17 October

Global Week of Action for Justice and Debt Cancellation (GWoA) 2022

Across the world, millions of people are in crises - a crisis of health, economies and climate change. Yet little has been done to put people and the planet first. From 10 to 17 October, we will raise our collective voices and demand leaders, institutions and fellow civil society organisations and movements hear our call for debt cancellation, reparations, economic justice and systemic reform.

This year GWoA will explore a variety of topics under the broader umbrella of debt cancellation. Each day will be dedicated to a specific issue, such as climate justice, food security, middle-income countries, private creditors and legislation, and surcharges. Click here to join the action.

12 October
11.15 - 12.45 GMT-4

IMF quota reform: Adapting IMF governance structures to meet contemporary challenges

The IMF is reviewing its quota formula for the first time in 15 years. This extremely consequential review of the “building blocks” of IMF governance structures needs to meet the challenges of the intersecting crises of our time and requires the voice of underrepresented countries and CSOs to be heard.

Speakers: Lara Merling (Senior Policy Advisor at Boston University Global Development Policy Center), Abu Bakarr Kamara (Coordinator at Budget Advocacy Network in Sierra Leone), Paulo Nogueira Batista (former IMF Executive Director for Brazil - remote participation), IMF panellist (TBC).

Moderator: Jayati Ghosh (Professor at University of Massachusetts Amherst) TBC

Watch again

12 October
14.30 - 16.00 GMT-4

Avoiding austerity in a time of compounding crises

Governments are facing a disrupted recovery due to the spread of new Omicron variants, the impacts of the Ukraine war, surging inflation and
interest rates and increased risk of debt distress. Expansionary recovery fiscal policies are turning into fiscal consolidation in most countries and spending in essential public services is threatened. The session will present new 2022 reports by IPD, FTC, OXFAM and Eurodad, showing fiscal consolidation trends and inequalities in recovery policies that are harming public services, people and the planet. It will discuss the role of IFIs in helping countries prevent austerity and enable an equitable people’s recovery.

Speakers: Isabel Ortiz (Director at Global Social Justice IPD), Matti Kohonen (Executive Director at Financial Transparency Coalition), Susana Ruiz (Tax Policy Lead at OXFAM), Chiara Mariotti (Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at Eurodad), Rodrigo Cerda (Chief of Expenditure Division, Fiscal Affairs Depart at IMF).

Moderator: Klelia Guerrero García (Tax justice specialist at LATINDADD)

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14 October
16.30 - 18.00 GMT-4

International financial architecture reform for a fair debt crisis resolution

As countries struggle with the worst debt crisis in decades, international financial architecture is failing to deliver on a fair debt resolution and there is no agreement on the direction that reforms should take. The panellists will discuss a range of proposals for reform, and how they could be delivered.

Speakers: Patricia Miranda (Global Advocacy Director at LATINDADD), Matthew Martin (Director at Development Finance International), Marcelo Estevao (Global Director, Macroeconomics, Trade & Investment at the World Bank), Guillaume Chabert (Deputy Director, Strategy Policy and Review Department at IMF), Representative of the Finance Ministry of Zambia.

Moderator: Andrea Shalal (Senior Correspondent at Reuters)

14-15 October

Teach-in, press conference and vigil by Jubilee USA

14 October: Join Jubilee USA on Friday for a vigil, teach-in and press conference outside the IMF, World Bank and G20 Meetings in Washington, DC. Hear how religious and community leaders from around the world are working for a debt jubilee.

15 October: OnSaturday morning, help Jubilee USA break the chains of debt! We will bring thousands of paper chains to IMF HQ calling for debt relief and economic aid.

More information on the action and registration form available here.

15 October
13.00 - 17.30 GMT-4

IMF policy and governance in the context of the ‘poly-crisis’: What next?

This half-day event, organised by Civil Society Organisations including Arab Watch Coalition, Bretton Woods Project, CEPR, Christian Aid and others, will bring together concerned organisations and individuals from around the globe, to debate the urgent IMF reforms required to support an adequate global response to the climate, inequality, food security and energy crises.

The panel discussions will be framed around interactive topics such as IMF governance reforms to address power imbalances within the institution and policy responses to address the escalating debt crisis. Various distinguished panellists such as Martín Guzmán - the Former Minister of Economy in Argentina, and Paulo Batista - former Executive Director for Brazil, will participate in the panels offering reflections and proposals for action by the IMF.

Click here to register

These events are being produced with the financial assistance of the European Union and Bread for the World. The contents of these events are the sole responsibility of Eurodad and its partners and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the funders.