World Bank and IMF weblog

The following posts are from Peter Hardstaff's visit to the World Bank and IMF meetings in Singapore in September of 2006.

The meetings were contraversal since WDM campaigner Martin Powell was originally refused entry to Singapore. In addition to Martin, over 30 other campaigners from around the world were effectively banned from the meetings - a move which made a mockery of the Bank and Fund's attempts to portray themselves as open and democratic organisations.

To find out more about the World Bank and IMF visit the World Development Movement's homepage at: http://www.wdm.org.uk

Stumble It!

Singapore Video Diary

Here is the video diary that Pete Hardstaff made while he was in Singapore:

Stumble It!

Welcome to Singapore

A warm welcome... unless you plan to protest about anything..

Stumble It!

Business as Usual

Stumble It!

Day 3: final day in singapore

Peter Hardstaff, Monday 18th September

8.50pm on Monday night. It is now very quiet in the civil society room at the convention centre. Just myself and Justin Macmullan from Christian Aid writing blogs. I’m also waiting for official confirmation of a vote on IMF ‘reform’ but more about that in a mo.

So I spent Saturday on the Island of Batam, Sunday in the Convention Centre in Singapore. But today I needed to do both.

An NGO strategy meeting had been called, starting this morning in Batam, which I thought it would be useful to attend so another ferry trip was called for. Thankfully calm seas meant that my weak landlubber constitution was spared any turmoil. As it turned out, I arrived just as a closing press conference was beginning and I was invited to participate because WDM had released a statement criticising the IMFC (the IMF’s top decision-making body) for praising, in its official communiqué, the Singaporean Government’s organisation of the meetings.

The strategy meeting was proving useful and informative but I had to leave early because I thought the formal announcement of the IMF’s voting reform package would be made late afternoon. So it was back to Singapore and running the gauntlet of the ferry terminal customs officials.

The standard practice of Singapore customs taking aside for questioning anyone coming back from Batam who said they were in Singapore for work could be avoided simply by saying you are a tourist. So honest people get taken behind the scenes for some questioning while liars pass through customs without trouble. Hmmm. Not sure the Singapore authorities have got their strategy sorted for weeding out potential wrong-doers.

Anyway, I got back to the convention centre only to find that the announcement had been delayed. Since then, apart from taking a walk around and getting some photos it has just been a question of waiting and drinking too much coffee.

It is likely that several developing countries have ended up voting against the proposal on the grounds that, although they support China, South Korea, Turkey and Mexico getting some more votes, there is a wider problem of under-representation of developing countries in the IMF that the proposal does not address. The proposal only reduces the rich country share of votes from about 61% to 59%; not exactly a major shift in the balance of power and far from the ‘fundamental reform’ touted by the IMF’s PR department.

Anyway, after a last bit of press work, I’m going for a beer and then its one a plane home tomorrow. I’m looking forward to seeing my family – assuming I can keep my eyes open after the 15 hour journey.

Finally, a funny story: last night the British Ambassador to Singapore held a reception with the UK delegation, business representatives and various civil society organizations invited. WDM was not on the official invite list, although I think this may have been more an oversight rather than some kind of official snub (although it has been known) because it was not necessarily clear whether anyone from WDM would even be in Singapore! Anyway, apparently it wasn’t much fun. The ambassador didn’t even serve up any Ferrero Rocher.

Stumble It!

Rules for protestors

no lunch allowed!

Stumble It!

Official demonstration area

This is the famous demo area, set aside for the 400 activists attending the World Bank and IMF meetings. All demonstrations outside this area have been banned.

Stumble It!

Media Day

It has been a ‘media day’ for me in Singapore. First off was a Press Conference organised by, amongst others, Focus on the Global South aimed at giving a voice to organisations banned from attending the meetings. After two of the blacklisted activists – who had managed, after some problems, to get into Singapore via the ferry terminal – gave statements condemning the Singapore government’s actions and providing more information on how various campaigners have been treated, I participated in a panel on the IMF.

The rest of the day has been spent in the convention centre talking to journalists and waiting for the official press conference of the IMFC – the IMF’s highest decision-making body. The IMFC is chaired by Gordon Brown so is of particular interest to the UK media.

The main issues were voting reform and trade but sadly the IMFC also chose to congratulate the Singaporean government on its organisation of the meetings - a real kick in the teeth for all those who have been harassed, detained or deported.

As ever, there was a major flurry of activity once the press briefing was over – journalists writing stories and NGOs writing press releases. I did what I could but, as ever, a host of organisations were ‘competing’ for the same media coverage so who knows how it will turn out. I always think it can’t be very easy for the press trying to write copy with lots of people rushing around handing out media releases but I guess they are used to it. On the plus side, there was a high degree of consensus between NGOs on the inadequacy of the IMF’s proposed voting reform so hopefully these similar messages will be reflected in the reporting.

I feel pretty tired right now – partly the jet lag catching up on me and partly the fatigue kicking in after the adrenaline has dissipated. Tomorrow promises to be calmer. Although it’s the turn of the World Bank’s governing body to make a pronouncement it looks like several journalists are heading home as the IMFC was seen as the bigger story.

Stumble It!

Singapore: Day 1

Peter Hardstaff, Saturday 16th September

Its been a day of travel. Or is it two days of travel? I’m not entirely sure. After a 15 hour plane journey to Singapore (via Kuala Lumpur) I had no problems getting through passport control and managed to pick up my accreditation for the World Bank and IMF annual meetings without any fuss.

After that, it was down to the harbour front and onto a ferry for a trip across to the island of Batam (governed by Indonesia). I was temporarily diverted from feeling tired by a brief battle to keep my lunch down – I’m not good on ferries.

The reason for the boat trip is that an international civil society meeting has been organised in Batam to coincide with the Bank and Fund meetings. It’s kind of like an alternative summit. The Singapore government was not happy about such an event being staged on its shores so a resourceful coalition of organizations have arranged for it to take place just across the water.

As ever, it’s a lively and informative event and a great opportunity to meet like minded campaigners from across the world – all working in various different ways to challenge the IMF and World Bank. I’ve spoken to Thomas from Zimbabwe, Rose from Kenya, Lidy from the Philippines and several others, all of whom are fed up with the way these two institutions are interfering in their countries and in their lives.

In this context, the new WDM report providing a damning critique of the Bank and Fund and proposing that they be replaced with very different organizations is being well received.

Hopefully, I will be able to get some interviews on camera so that we can post them on the web site and give you a chance to hear different perspectives from around the world.

A group of ‘banned’ people set off earlier from Batam to brave Singapore customs control. Here’s hoping they get through.

Tomorrow promises to be busy – its Gordon Brown’s big day. As chair if the IMF’s top decision-making body he will give a press conference to talk up a minor change in the voting shares for a few larger developing countries.

Watch (or read) this space.

Stumble It!

The Singapore ban on WDM will not work.

Singapore ban WDM from attending IMF meeting

Faced by the ban - by the Singapore government of participants attending the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF – Britain’s World Development Movement today brought forward the issue of its blockbuster report ‘Scrap the World Bank and IMF’.

WDM director Benedict Southworth said ‘Our government cannot allow critical voices on aid, trade and debt to be silenced by the Singapore regime. The development agenda has been a centrepiece of the Chancellor’s strategy and it would be both a tragedy and a comedy if authoritative and respected critical voices were silenced while he is chairing the key IMF decision making committee.’

WDM debt campaigns officer Martin Powell, who is to represent WDM at Singapore, said ‘Our government is yet to tell us that we have been banned. Our hope is that the government will finally add its voice to those of the World Bank and the IMF who have called for the banned participants be allowed to attend. Our government must move swiftly to agree with the Singapore authorities that both the World Development Movement and our colleagues from the global South who face a parallel ban will be permitted to participate in the annual meetings process.’

Editors Notes

• Gordon Brown chairs the key IMF decision making committee (the IMFC) which meets on the 17th September during the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings (16th-20th September). Reform of the IMF is on the agenda.
• Martin Powell is WDM’s debt campaigns officer and joint chair of the Jubilee Debt Campaign. He has attended the last three annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF. Benedict Southworth is director of the World Development Movement.
• WDM is the only UK organisation that has been banned. The Italian group CRBM was banned as were Focus on the Global South, Freedom from debt coalition (Philippines) and INFID, Indonesia.

About WDM
Founded in 1970, WDM campaigns to tackle the root causes of poverty. WDM believes that charity is not enough and aims to change the policies that keep the developing world poor. It is a democratic and politically independent organisation with 15,000 supporters and a strong role for its 100 local groups across the UK.

The full report is available as a pdf at:

http://www.wdm.org.uk/resources/briefings/debt/outoftime.pdf

Stumble It!

Welcome: World Bank and IMF blog

This is the first post of the World Bank and IMF blog - this blog consists of reports, photographs, films and podcasts from the World Bank and IMF annual meetings in Singapore, 2006.
This blog has been produced by the World Development Movement, and is about the World Bank and IMF, it is not connected in any way to these organisations.

Stumble It!