2015 Spring Meetings

Location: IFC, 2121 Pennsylvania Ave nw, Room L-109, Washington, DC
Time: Tuesday, April 14th, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Event Organizer: Bank Information Center

Contacts:
Rachel Baker – rbaker@bicusa.org,Vince McElhinny – vmcelhinny@bicusa.org

The significance of forest investment cuts across several ongoing change processes at the World Bank Group, including the Bank group-wide reorganization, the strategic role of forests in delivery of the corporate goals, the update of a forest action plan, and the reformulation of safeguards on natural habitats and forests. As one input to charting a future course for the World Bank Group, the 2013 IEG Evaluation – Managing Forest Resources for Sustainable Development assessed the performance of the Bank’s forest strategy over the past decade. IEG identified areas for strengthening the effectiveness of the WBG investment and technical assistance in this crucial sector, with recommendations to continue funding participatory forest management without neglecting the informal sector, enhance sustainability along the supply chain, review engagement in industrial timber concession reform, enhance synergies within the World Bank Group, and improve reporting on outcome indicators. At a time of shifting public and private financial flows into the forestry sector, how will the different change processes position the World Bank Group in coming years?

Two panels addressed this question. In the first panel, presentations by IEG, the World Bank forest lead, and IFC will explored what the Bank is doing well, what might change, and the challenges and opportunities for both types of activities. Particular attention was paid presentations to how the ongoing reorganization at the World Bank Group will facilitate a more integrated engagement with clients seeking investment in the forest sector to contribute to the WBG corporate goals.

A second panel addressed specific context issues. BIC presented preliminary findings on research into public and private investment flows into the forest sector. A World Bank Regional Safeguards Advisor presented on content related to forests within the new draft safeguards. Two panelists from Latin America and Southeast Asia discussed community forestry from the regional perspective, making the case for community forestry as a proven model for alternative forest engagement that facilitates poverty alleviation and ecological sustainability.

Forests Agenda at the World Bank Group
Overview Presentation ESS 6 Biodiversity and MLNR
International Financial Flows and Forests
Community Forest Management in Mexico
Community Forestry Delivers

Time: Tuesday, April 14th, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Room: I2-250
Sponsors:  ELAS Fund, Bank Information Center (BIC)
Proposed Panelists: K. K. Verdade (Executive Director, Elas Fund), Deborah Wetzel (World Bank Country Director, Brazil), Nicholas Menzies (Justice Reform Practice Group of the World Bank’s Legal Vice Presidency)
CHAIR:Antonio Silveira (Executive Director Brazil, World Bank)

The session featured a moderated discussion around the issues of violence against transgender communities. The session also presented a best practice example, showcased learnings and outlined future steps to deal with various challenges faced by vulnerable communities.

Fighting violence against Trans Communities in Brazil Video

Time: Wednesday, April 15th, 9:00am – 10:30am
Room:  I2-220

Sponsors: Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Bank Information Center (BIC), U.S. Campaign for Burma, Global Witness, Karen Environmental Action Network, Oxfam International, Human Rights Watch, Bank on Human Rights Coalition, Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

Panelists: Saw Alex (Karen Environmental and Social Action Network), Reem Abdelhaliem (Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights), Nadia Daar, (Bank Information Center), Edward Mountfield (World Bank Group), Anna Fruttero(World Bank Group)

If done robustly and with meaningful community input, the Bank’s new Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD) and ensuing Country Partnership Framework (CPF) should identify programmatic opportunities for the Bank but also capture potential environmental, social and human rights risks that are – and could be – associated with development interventions. This event explored CSO experiences from Egypt and Burma and discussed policy recommendations for the Bank’s new Country Engagement Model accordingly.

Assessing the Bank’s New Country Engagement Model Video

Time: Wednesday, April 15th, 11:00 – 12:30
Room: I2-250

Sponsors:  Oxfam International, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Urgewald, Bank Information Center (BIC), Ulu Foundation, Bretton Woods Project, Eurodad, Accountability Counsel.

Panelists: Morgan Landy (VP Risk, Corporate Risk and Sustainability),Osvaldo Gratacos (Vice President, CAO), Kate Geary (Land Right Lead, Oxfam), Cecilia Mérida (Guatemalan Anthropologist and Women’s Right Activist), Lakshmi Premkumar (The Research Collective, India), Chair: Jason Allford (Alternative Director, Australia, World Bank)

This session provided participants with the opportunity to engage in a constructive discussion about progress made by the IFC on financial intermediary lending, in light of the findings of Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) monitoring report on financial markets lending, and a discussion of emerging cases featured in the new report, The Suffering of Others, including in Guatemala, India and Honduras. The session aimed to produce concrete proposals for action.

IFC Lending Through Financial Intermediaries Video

Time: Wednesday, April 15th, 11:00-12:30
Room: I2-210
Sponsor: Sierra Club

Panelists: Gerry Arances (Philippine Movement for Climate Justice), Elizabeth Bast (Oil Change Intermational), Vrinda Manglik (Sierra Club), Chair: Sasanka Thilakasiri (Oxfam International)

The panel will deliberate energy financing of the major multilateral development banks in the context of increasing impacts from global climate change and the continued challenge of achieving universal energy access for the poor. It will also look into key questions regarding World Bank’s work around MDBs; energy financing; and the tools banks can use to limit their contribution to climate change.

Time: Thursday, April 16th, 12:45-1:45
Room: I2-250
Sponsors: Bank Information Center (BIC), World Bank Group Gender Cross Cutting Solutions Area
Panelists: Caren Grown (Senior Director, Gender Cross Cutting Solutions Area, World Bank Group), Kelly Verdade (Executive Director of ELAS Brazilian Women’s Fund),  Phillipine Makoma Lekalakala (Senior Programme Officer, EarthLife Africa)
Chair: Alex Foxley, World Bank Executive Director – Chile

The World Bank Group is preparing a renewed gender strategy, which is expected to be finalized and discussed by the Board of Executive Directors later this year. The strategy is being developed to help us support countries and companies achieve gender equality as one pathway to ensuring lasting poverty reduction and shared prosperity. A Concept Note has been prepared and it serves as a basis for discussion during consultations with stakeholders from mid-April through mid-July.

Caren Grown, the Senior Director leading the development of the strategy presented the approach to the strategy to civil society. Two responding voices sat on the panel to share their work on the ground and the floor opened up for an interesting dialogue.

Time:Friday, April 17th, 11:00am-12:30pm
Location: Open Society Foundations, 1730 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest #700, Washington, DC 20006

The exodus of children and families from Central America has significant roots in the development failures in the region, linked to spreading violence. Development banks have a role to play in easing and reversing these issues. The Inter-American Development Bank and Northern Triangle governments have developed a new Partnership for Prosperity, and the Obama Administration announced  $1B in its budget proposal for Central America. These decisions have sparked a flurry of conversation. We believe that attention to the challenges facing Central America that goes beyond funding for security or hardening the Mexican southern border is a welcomed step. However, there is an urgent need for clarity on how exactly additional funds would be spent, and transparency and accountability mechanisms must be in place. It will be critical to have citizen and civil society oversight for strategy, implementation and evaluation of any new funds. Organized immigrant/diaspora communities could play a role it this, along with organizations that are embedded in local realities. This panel explored some of the initiatives being proposed and implemented and views of how to best accomplish their goals.

Speakers Included:
Cathy Feingold, AFL-CIO Director of International Department: Report from Recent Delegation to Central America (TBC)
Humberto Lopez, World Bank Director for Central America: Current Plans to Address Regional Issues by the World Bank
Paloma Adams-Allen, Deputy Assistant Administrator of Central American Program: Current Plans to Address Regional Issues by USAID
Gina Montiel, Manager, Central America, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic Country Department: Current Plans to Address Regional Issues by the Interamerican Development Bank (TBC)
Francisco Altschul, El Salvadorian Ambassador to the United States: Reflections on Forward Movement