Hilary Benn Releases £50 million to World Bank
On Tuesday the World Bank published its latest conditionality review, the results of which prompted Hilary Benn to release £50 million to the World Bank that the UK had been withholding over concerns about the banks use of harmful conditions attached to aid and debt relief.

The World Bank report, which analyses just how far the bank has moved away from controversial conditions such as privatisation and trade liberalisation, suggests that while the bank is improving, there is still a long way to go. Importantly there is a need for continued pressure from campaigners and governments such as the UK to ensure that the World Bank continues to reform.

Campaigners across the UK are calling on Hilary Benn not to let the World Bank off the hook and for the UK to continue to tie funding to further reform.

Issues of concern:

Number of conditions – While the World Bank report states that the number of formal conditions has been reduced this does not take into account ‘benchmark’ conditions that are seen by developing countries as necessary to comply with in order to receive loans and debt relief.

Content of Conditions - There has been some progress in shifting the focus of conditions away from privatisation and liberalisation - but these conditions are still included in about one quarter of the cases. Even one of these conditions is too many.

Ownership – The World Bank is still a long way from understanding that ownership requires more than governments merely agreeing to implement the Banks demands. For a country to truly 'own' a policy, it must be chosen by its government after public debate, parliamentary scrutiny and a decision by its government. The World Bank report does not take into account these considerations, at the continued democratic expense of developing countries.

What can you do?
- Send Hilary Benn an email petition calling for him to cut the strings attached to debt relief.

- email Tom Scholar (UK representative at the World Bank and IMF) calling for an end to economic policies attached to debt relief that are strangling health and education.