2006 Annual Meetings

An open letter, signed by over 30 international and regional civil society groups, expressing concerns about the upcoming World Bank - International Monetary Fund Meetign on Sept. 19-20, 2006, was sent to Singapore Prime Minister on February 8 and copied to the President of the World Bank (among others).  Read the letter

Peter Stephens, World Bank Representative in Singapore and main liaison with the Singapore government in relation to the Annual Meetings, responds to the letter. 

Singapore and the Annual Meetings

Dear Anselmo Lee:

Though your open letter was not addressed to me or to the World Bank, I do want to send you a short note to allay some of the concerns you raised.  First, I would like to be very clear that we are working closely with the IMF and with the Singapore Government - and have been for many months - to ensure that diverse civil society voices are very much heard before, during and after the Annual Meetings this September. We believe that meaningful civil society engagement is critical to the effectiveness of the meetings, and are looking for ways to ensure the dialogue and exchange of ideas takes place often, vigorously and openly in the months ahead.

Some of the steps we have taken include:

• Working with the IMF and Singapore to engage a wide number of academic groups and think tanks from across the world in selecting and pursuing research before the meetings. This research and analysis will feed into events, including the Program of Seminars.
• Building on our country-level engagements with civil society groups over recent years and beginning a process of seeking guidance on issues and topics of concern that should be discussed or considered as part of the Annual Meetings process;
• Taking the country-level discussions and seeing if there are broader Asia-wide themes or issues we should all be looking at.

Far from being a regulated or restricted process, as you appear to suggest, we are trying to enable a process that is open and led by civil society, and for the issues and means of addressing them to arise spontaneously, not through a formal process that we lead or try to manage. We don't have fixed ideas about which areas deserve attention; nor do we have fixed views on what are the best ways to advance ideas that do arise. Some might be pursued through dialogues (including with senior management at the Bank and Fund, and/or government officials), some through written reports that are discussed and circulated, some by events around the meetings themselves, and some probably will have a longer time-horizon and go well beyond the meetings. We are open to your ideas and
suggestions, and those of your colleagues.

In all our discussions with the Singapore Government, they have encouraged us in these areas. They have also set aside a prominent space in the meetings venue for civil society. I cannot and would not attempt to speak for Singapore, but my strong sense from many discussions over many months is that their hope is meaningful civil society participation, as you mention in your letter. My understanding is that they do draw the line at violence and disruption, consistent with their laws, but this is clearly an extreme case, and not what I understand you to be talking about in your letter.

More information on the specifics of registering for the Annual Meetings can be found at www.worldbank.org/civilsociety. If I can be of assistance at any time, please feel free to contact me at: pstephens1@worldbank.org or the World Bank's principal Civil Society Liaison, Ms. Carolyn Reynolds at: creynolds@worldbank.org.

I would be grateful if you would circulate this letter to the other signatories to your open letter.

Best wishes,

Peter L. Stephens
World Bank Singapore Office
10 Shenton Way, MAS Building #15-08
Singapore 079117
Phone: (65) 6324-4612
Fax: (65) 6324-4615
Email: pstephens1@worldbank.org
website: www.worldbank.org/sg

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