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The World Bank Meetings Center provides links and inside access to the information, ideas, and issues being discussed at various events such as the IMF and World Bank spring and annual meetings.

Open Forum: Getting to Equal

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Arab World: A New Social Contract

civil society

MDG Summit Gets Under Way; Zoellick Addresses Assembly

Submitted by Julia Ross on Mon, 09/20/2010 - 09:43

Following months of preparation, the U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) officially kicks off this morning in New York. Traffic is bumper-to-bumper and security tighter than usual in Manhattan’s Midtown East area, but the 140+ country delegations gathered here are focusing on how to accelerate progress on the goals to meet the 2015 deadline.

At today’s U.N. General Assembly plenary session, World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick called for a redoubling of global efforts to achieve the MDGs, which he said were “central to the World Bank Group’s mission and our everyday work.”

Stepping up engagement with civil society

Submitted by Molly Norris on Sat, 04/24/2010 - 15:13

“Engagement with civil society has stepped up in so many ways—in terms of quality and also in terms of quantity. This engagement is critical because we have different roles that we can play. I think that there is a realization between civil society and the World Bank that we have a single mission and we need to forge ahead towards that mission.”

Compelling issues of the day drew the highest volume of civil society organizations to register for this year than ever before for Spring Meetings, though volcanic ash caused some panels to be cancelled, according to Edith Grace Ssempala, a World Bank senior advisor.  Talks ranged from the ongoing effects of the financial crisis to the Bank’s energy strategy and new Access to Information policy. 

Civil Society Forum: Haiti response shows need for collaboration

Submitted by Sameer Vasta on Sat, 04/24/2010 - 12:16

Large parts of Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince have been destroyed by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake on 12 January. Photo taken on 15 January 2010.. Photo: IFRC/Eric Quintero

A panel on strengthening partnerships that took place earlier this week at the Civil Society Policy Forum during the 2010 Spring Meetings looked at how partnerships were integral to the response after the earthquake in Haiti.

The panel, which featured speakers from the World Bank, USAID, IMF, Save the Children, and the German Marshall Fund, explored the ways various organizations came together to ensure effective post-disaster revitalization and development outcomes after the disaster in Haiti.

One such example of collaboration and partnership was in the sharing of Bank geo-spatial data with community groups like Random Hacks of Kindness and CrisisCamp. (More on the Bank's new open data initiative here.)

Edith Grace Ssempala recaps the Meetings

Submitted by Sameer Vasta on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 07:17

The 2009 Annual Meetings are wrapping up. Before packing up here in Istanbul, I caught up with Edith Grace Ssempala,  World Bank Director for the Civil Society Program, and asked her to provide me with her own one-minute recap of the Meetings.

 

This is a different Bank than it was in the ‘90s

Submitted by Marwan Muasher on Sun, 10/04/2009 - 10:02

Istanbul Kongre Merkezi or Istanbul Congress Center. Istanbul, Turkey. Photo credit: Simone D. McCourtie/World Bank The skies have darkened with rain outside the Istanbul Congress Center, but spirits are high inside. The labyrinth of conference rooms is abuzz with government officials and civil society representatives, looking for pragmatic and innovative solutions to today’s most important development issues.

I personally think the CSO functions are going really well. I’m seeing a lot of collaboration, a lot of common ground, and even more so than in the past.

I think this is due to the Bank’s position as a voice for the poorest and our demonstrated commitment to providing the resources countries need to deal with the food and financial crises.

InterAction's Sam Worthington chats about the World Bank and civil society

Submitted by Sameer Vasta on Sun, 10/04/2009 - 04:48

This morning I had the chance to chat with Sam Worthington, the President and CEO of InterAction, who is attending the Civil Society Forum here in Istanbul. Sam took some time between the sessions of the CSO Forum to tell me a little about InterAction, the work that they are doing with the World Bank, and what he hopes to come out of the Annual Meetings in Turkey this year.

You can watch the entire 5-minute chat below:

 

 

Annual Meetings get underway

Submitted by Angie Gentile on Thu, 10/01/2009 - 06:54

Istanbul Congress Center. Photo credit: Simone D. McCourtie/World BankThe buzz is building in Istanbul, our beautiful host city, as delegates, press and CSOs from around the world begin pouring in for the 2009 joint Annual Meetings of the World Bank and IMF.

The press room opened Monday, providing temporary work quarters for the more than 1,200 registered media who are covering the events over the next week for news outlets large and small.

They are joined by representatives from civil society organizations here to take part in a Civil Society Policy Forum being held from October 2-7. The event is jointly organized by the World Bank Group and IMF civil society teams. The forum will bring together Bank and Fund staff, CSO representatives, including from Oxfam, Civicus and Africa Monitor, to name a few, along with government officials, academics, and others to exchange views on a variety of topics ranging from the global economic crisis and climate change, to governance reform. Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn will co-host a CSO townhall meeting Friday afternoon.

VOICES: Ray Offenheiser

Submitted by Sameer Vasta on Fri, 04/24/2009 - 19:15

 
We asked Ray Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America, one question:

"What is and should be the role of the World Bank in the current financial crisis?"

Watch the video above for his answer. We'll be featuring more short videos from the Spring Meetings over the next few days.

VOICES: Vitalice Meja

Submitted by Sameer Vasta on Fri, 04/24/2009 - 12:01

 
We asked Vitalice Meja, Programme Director for the African Forum & Network on Debt and Development, one question:

"What is and should be the role of the World Bank in the current financial crisis?"

Watch the video above for his answer. We'll be featuring more short videos from the Spring Meetings over the next few days.

World Bank opens doors to dialogue with CSOs, press

Submitted by Angie Gentile on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 11:48

Civil Society Forum

The World Bank Group, together with the IMF, opens its doors on Thurs., April 23, for dialogue with the 400+ CSO leaders from around the world who have registered for the Spring Meetings.

The four-day Civil Society Policy Forum will bring together Bank and Fund staff, CSO representatives, government officials, and others to exchange views on a variety of topics ranging from the global economic crisis and climate change, to information disclosure.

Find out more about the Forum and the schedule of events at the Civil Society Policy Forum page.

Press Room Opens

In addition, some 800 accredited journalists have registered for the meetings. Some have found a temporary home at the Bank/IMF press room, which opened yesterday. Tomorrow is the deadline for submitting the online application for press accreditation.

If you're a member of the press and haven't yet completed the online application for accreditation, be sure to do that here.

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