Financing public services and the IMF and World Bank policies: what needs to change in light of the COVID-19 and the climate crises? a discussion held at the World Bank Civil Society Policy Forum

The session “Future Is Public: Prioritising Public Services in the Light of COVID and Climate Change” at the World Bank Civil Society Policy Forum on 7 April 2022 discussed the impact of International Monetary Fund and World Bank policies on countries’ financing of public services.

Exploring the latest research on this topic, this session discussed how the policies, technical assistance, loans and grants of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group influence States’ investments in public services and what needs to change in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 and climate crises. This session explored alternatives that place public services at the core of sustainable development, drawing from the Global Manifesto on Public Services that was developed and launched by a wide range of civil society organisations last year.