While the mission of these institutions is to reduce poverty, projects funded by these banks have often resulted in widespread economic, social, and environmental damage. These institutions are publicly financed by taxpayer dollars, yet their activities are often carried out without the informed participation of affected communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and in some instances, elected officials in the borrowing countries.
In Asia, BIC works with grassroots social movements and national-level NGOs involved in challenging particular multilateral development bank (MDB) loans. BIC supports partner organization’s efforts to mitigate some of the most acute consequences of poor development policies. Perhaps most importantly, BIC aims to open spaces for affected communities to influence decision making at the institutions, and build the capacity of NGOs and grassroots social movements in Asia to engage effectively with the IFIs.
BIC’s work is focused on the following subregions and countries:
The Asia region has witnessed strong economic growth in recent years, averaging 6% per annum. However, growth in income has not translated into poverty reduction, and the region is still home to 620 million of the World’s poor. While MDB public-sector lending has focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), most indicators suggest that non-income MDG targets will not be met by 2015.
Despite being home to pockets of poverty, the region’s Middle Income Countries (MICs) are at the forefront of this prosperity and are playing a strong role in influencing development policy at the MDBs. Many are using their absorptive capacity to tempt the MDBs into fast-tracking project processing, cutting transaction costs, and streamlining environmental and social safeguards.
Major investments in the region are likely to happen in the energy, transport, agriculture, and urban sectors.
BIC has worked on these projects in the past, but is no longer actively monitoring them.
The French-owned Lafarge Cement, the largest cement manufacturing company in the world, and its clone subsidiaries are destroying large tracts of land, forest and water, polluting the environment, emitting poisonous at an unprecedented level, and taking away lands from Indigenous Peoples and marginalized communities thus destroying their livelihood, tradition, customs, culture and environment in the militarized northeast region of India.ADB’s US$196 million investment is the Bank’s first public loan for a 156 megawatt hydropower project in the country. Triggering all Category A impacts under its Involuntary Resettlement, Environment and Indigenous Peoples’ Policies, this dam will flood at least 143 hectares of farm, forest and residential lands and is expected to uproot over 200 families, belonging mostly to Ka Tu ethnic minority group from four (4) villages.The Citarum River is one of the most critical river basins in Indonesia. Located in the province of West Java, the basin extends over 13,000 square kilometers, which provides home and life to over 10 million people. It supplies about 80 percent of metropolitan Jakarta’s water needs, irrigates over 240,000 hectares of rice and other agricultural crops, and is the source of 1,400 MW of hydroelectric power.Global Coal Management (PLC), a UK-listed company, is awaiting official approval from the Bangladesh Government to operate an open pit mine that would extract 15 million tonnes of coal/year from Phulbari, a key rice producing area that contributes to the food basket of Bangladesh. GCM, through its Bangladeshi subsidiary, Asia Energy, proposes to mine for over 30 years. The project has fuelled a strong grassroots movement in the Phulbari area and has raised major environmental, social and human rights concerns for both the indigenous and local residents of Phulbari.The Phnom Penh- Ho Chi Minh City Road is the first project to be implemented under the ADB's Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Initiative, which is intended to improve cooperation for economic development amongst the GMS countries (Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Vietnam, and Yunnan Province in the People's Republic of China).The three-tranche,US $300 million Water Resources Sector Adjustment Loan (WATSAL) was approved by the World Bank in May 1999. WATSAL provides balance of payments assistance to Indonesia to support policy, legal, regulatory, and administrative reforms in the water resources and irrigation sector.The Southern Transport Development Project (STDP), approved in November 1999, involves the construction of a 128-km expressway linking linking Kottawa in the outskirts of Colombo with Matara in the south. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided a loan of $90 million from the Asian Development Fund to finance the southern 61-km section from Kurundugahetekma to Matara.The ongoing environmental degradation of the Bangkok Metropolitan region has led the Thai government to invest in projects that aim to decrease pollution in the region. The Samut Prakarn Wastewater Management project is intended to improve the environmental quality and public health in the Samut Prakarn Province in Thailand through the establishment of i) wastewater collection and effluent monitoring systems; ii) a central wastewater treatment plant; iii) industrial pollution prevention and clean technology transfer programs; and iv) institutional capacity building for government agencies responsible for wastewater management.The objectives of the project are to: 1) generate long-term net revenues and foreign exchange for the Government of Laos; 2) encourage the use of those revenues in support of economic growth and poverty alleviation; 3) fulfill the Government of Laos' commitment to supply Thailand with 3000 MW of electricity by 2006; and 4) link hydropower development with environmental and social objectives.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding the third stage of the Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project in Pakistan, the first stage of which began in 1978. Under the project, a 274-kilometer (171-mile) canal is being built along the Indus River, beginning at the Chashma Barrage. The project also includes the construction of 72 distribution canals, 68 cross-drainage structures, and 91 bridges.
Though intended to provide land tenure security for the poor, thousands of families have been involuntarily displaced from Boeung Kak Lake community as a result of this project.
Submission to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on Oman’s Duqm Port Commercial Terminal and Operational Zone Development Project In May 2017, the Bank Information Center and Business & Human Rights Resource Centre issued a joint submission to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), sharing concerns over the employment of foreign migrant workers as construction labour …
AIIB must do more to meet its environmental & social commitments (first appeared in Business and Human Rights Resource Centre’s Chinese Responsible Investment Overseas Newsletter Issue 2, June 2017) Shortly after commencing operations in January 2016, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) adopted environmental and social standards that committed to investing in sustainable infrastructure projects, including a …
Out of control: The World Bank’s reckless private sector investments in Southeast Asia exposed (March 17, 2017) – Dozens of harmful and high-risk projects in Southeast Asia have received hidden funding from the World Bank Group, an ongoing investigation by Inclusive Development International has revealed. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private-sector …
BIC Rebuttal to the World Bank’s Response to BIC’s case studies on Development Policy Operations in Peru, Egypt, Mozambique, and Indonesia March 2017 In January 2017, the Bank Information Center (BIC) along with international and local partner organizations published a report and four case studies on seven World Bank policy lending investments in Peru, Egypt, …
The AIIB approved $1.7 billion in financing for nine projects in 2016, but still does not have a mechanism to address concerns from people who are affected by those projects. In early February 2017, sixteen civil society organizations called on the AIIB’s Director-General for Compliance, Effectiveness, and Integrity to conduct a public consultation process on a …
Amy Ekdawi
Regional Programs Director
Tel:+1 (202) 624-0620
Email:aekdawi*bankinformationcenter.org
Elizabeth Summers
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Campaign Manager
Tel: +1 202 624 0622
Email: esummers*bankinformationcenter.org
Wunna Htun
Myanmar Program Coordinator, Asia Program
Tel: +95 94480 16197 (Yangon)
Email: whtun*bankinformationcenter.org
Victoria Kwakwa
Vice President, East Asia and Pacific
Email: vkwakwa*worldbank.org
Diana Chung
Head of Communications, East Asia and Pacific
Tel: +1 202 473 8357
Email: dchung1*worldbank.org
Annette Dixon
Vice President, South Asia
Email: adixon*worldbank.org
Alex Ferguson
Head of Communications, South Asia
Tel: +1 202 458 4593
Email: aferguson*worldbank.org
Hannfried von Hindenburg
Head of Communications, East Asia and the Pacific
Tel: +852 2509-8115
Email: hvonhindenburg*ifc.org
Mengistu Alemayehu
Director, South Asia
Tel: +91 11 4111 1000/ 3000
Email: malemayehu*ifc.org
Address:
Maruti Suzuki Building
3rd & 4th floor
1 Nelson Mandela Road
Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110 070
India
Minakshi Seth
Head of Communications, South Asia
Tel: +91 11 4111 1000
Email: MSeth*ifc.org
ADB Department of External Relations
For more information and additional projects, please see the World Bank’s Monthly Operational Summary. List last updated March 2016.
Bangladesh Regional Waterway Transport Project 1: The development objective of the project is to improve transport services for passengers and cargo on inland waterways along the Dhaka-Chittagong-Ashuganj Regional IWT Corridor. Concept completed on 14 January 2016. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P154511. US$ 360.0(IDA Credit). Consultants will be required. People’s Republic of Bangladesh Tel: 88-02-9180675, E-mail: addl-secy2@erd.gov.bd, Contact: Mr. Kazi Shofiqul Azam, Additional Secretary; Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Tel: 88-02-9563188, E-mail: dpl@biwta.gov.bd, Contact: Mahmud Hasan Salim, Director of Planning.
BD River Management Improvement Program – Phase I: The objective of the program is to reduce the adverse impacts of flooding and erosion along the Brahmaputra Right Embankment, enhance its sustainable management, and improve transport connectivity of the sub region. The project-specific (RMIP-I) development objective is to increase protection against river flooding and erosion and improve flood and erosion management capacity along selected sections of the Brahmaputra River. Negotiations authorized on 18 July 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P149734. US$ 600.0 (IDA Credit). Consulting services to be determined. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Tel: 8801712008322, E-mail: pdecrrp.bwdb@gmail.com, Contact: Sarder Sirazul Hoque, Additional Chief Engineer.
Livelihood Enhancement and Association of the Poor (LEAP): The development objective of the proposed project is to help improve livelihoods of targeted poor households in selected provinces and communities. The PDO is expected to be achieved by providing targeted poor beneficiaries with (a) access to finance and linking them to markets and key value chains for their livelihood activities; (b) support for creating and strengthening self-sustaining livelihood-related community-level institutions, such as agriculture marketing cooperatives; and (c) improving delivery of key services, such as capacity building to develop and strengthen technical and managerial business skills of targeted poor beneficiaries.
Key performance indicators will include (i) the percentage of beneficiary HH that take up new / additional livelihood strategies or diversify and improve income sources compared to the baseline; (ii) the (increased) value of family-owned assets among project beneficiaries; and (iii) the self-perception by the poor of their strengthened ability for collective action. The Project is envisaged to have the following four principal components: (i) an investment fund, (ii) Identification and scaling-up of pro-poor livelihood initiatives, (iii) capacity building for community associations, and (iv) project implementation/management support. Identification completed on 26 January 2015. Environmental Assessment Category B. US$ 20.0 (IDA Credit). Consulting services to be determined. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
Mekong Integrated Water Resources Management Project- Phase III: The project development objective of the Mekong Integrated Water Resources Management Project Phase III is to establish the foundation for effective water resource and fisheries management in project areas in the northeast of Cambodia. Negotiations authorized on 7 January 2016. Environmental Assessment Category B. Project: P148647. US$ 15.0 (IDA Credit). Consultants will be required. Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC) Tel: (855-23) 216-514, E-mail: wattbotkosal@gmail.com, Contact: Watt Botkosal, Deputy Secretary General; Ministry of Economy and Finance Tel: 85523990700, E-mail: meyvann@mef.gov.kh, Contact: Mey Vann, Di-rector, Financial Industry Department
North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project: The proposed project development objective is to in-crease the delivery of electricity at the boundaries of the power distribution network in the participating states in the North Eastern Region. Negotiations authorized on 1 September 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P127974. US$470.0 (IBRD). Consultants will be required. Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India Tel: 91-11-23094193, E-mail: lekhan.t@nic.in, Contact: Lekhan Thakkar, Director (MI); POWERGRID Corporation Limited Tel: 91-124-2571955, E-mail: bmishra@powergridindia.com, Contact: B Mishra, Executive Director.
UP CORE ROAD NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: The Project Development Objective is to reduce travel time and improve safety of road users on targeted corridors. Appraisal completed on 2 March 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P147864. US$400.0 (IBRD). Consultants will be required. UP-PWD Tel: 91-522-2621154, E-mail: pspwdup@rediffmail.com, Contact: Mr. Kishan Singh Atoria, Principal Secretary; UP Police Traffic Directorate Tel: 91-522-2050242, E-mail: dirtraffic@nic.in, Contact: Mr. Anil Agrawal, ADG Traffic; Transport Commissioner Tel: 91-522-2613978, E-mail: tcup@nic.in, Contact: Mr K. Ravinder Naik, Transport Commissioner.
Assam Flood, Erosion and River Management Modernization Project: Objective to be Determined. Identification completed on 18 November 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. US$250.0 (IBRD). Consulting services to be determined. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
Indonesia: Poko Hydropower Project: The development objective of the proposed project is to supply electricity from renewable energy resources for economic development and rural electrification expansion in South and West Sulawesi in a least-cost and environmentally and socially sustainable way. Identification completed on 13 December 2013. Environmental Assessment Category A. US$360.0 (IBRD). Consulting services to be determined. PLN (Persero) Tel: (62-21) 722-1332, E-mail: murtaqi@pln.co.id.
Indonesia’s Infrastructure Finance Development (IIFD) -RE: The Program Development Objectives (PDO) for IIFD is to assist Indonesia in closing its large public infrastructure gap by supporting the flow of private capital into infrastructure development and improving the institutional, legal and regulatory framework to enhance the ability of private capital and public institutions to work together for infrastructure development. Appraisal completed on 11 March 2016.Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P157490. US$ 8.3 (IIFD). Consultants will be required. Directorate General of Financing and Risk Management Tel: 62213458289, E-mail: rpakpah@yahoo.com, Contact: Robert Pakpahan, Director General of Financing and Risk Management; Ministry of Finance Tel: 62213500841, E-mail: rpakpah@yahoo.com, Contact: Robert Pakpahan, Di-rector General of Financing and Risk Management.
Regional Infrastructure Development Fund: The project development objective (PDO) is to increase access to infrastructure finance at the subnational level through a sustainable financial intermediary. Concept completed on 13 July 2015. Environmental Assessment Category F. Project: P154947. US$500.0/5.0 (IBRD/GSWI). Consulting services to be determined. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
Indonesia National Urban Slum Upgrading Program: The overall project development objective is to improve access to urban infrastructure and services in targeted slums in Indonesia. Negotiations authorized on 8 March 2016.Environmental Assessment Category B. Project: P154782. US$433.0 (IBRD). Consultants will be required. Ministry of Public Works and Housing Tel: 0622172796155, E-mail: dirjenck@pu.go.id, Contact: Andreas Suhono, Mr.; Ministry of Finance Tel: 62213500841, E-mail: rpakpah@yahoo.com, Contact: Robert Pakpahan, Director General of Financing and Risk Management.
Strategic Roads Development Project: This operation includes: (i) road maintenance; (ii) road rehabilitation; (iii) bridge maintenance; and (iv) bridge rehabilitation; and (v) technical assistance to road sector institutions for capacity development and strategic project preparation activities. The project will include a focus on a section of Nepal’s East-West highway between Pathlaiya and Dhalkebar where there is an acute need to rehabilitate bridges and road sections that have reached the end of their maintainable life. Identification completed on 3 February 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. US$ 150.0 (IDA Credit). Consulting services to be determined. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
Strategic Cities Development Project- Additional Financing: Improve selected urban services and public urban spaces in the Participating City Regions of Sri Lanka. Negotiations authorized on 8 March 2016. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P157427. US$ 55.0 (IDA Credit).Consultants will be required. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
Climate Resilience Improvement Project Additional Financing: The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to re-duce the vulnerability of exposed people and assets to climate risk and to improve Government’s capacity to respond effectively to disasters. Negotiations authorized on 27 January 2016. Environmental Assessment Category B. Project: P157392. US$ 42.0 (IDA Credit). No consultants are required. Implementing agency(ies) to be determined.
(*) The UK Climate Change Impacts Programme (UKCIP) defines ‘low regret’ actions as “adaptive measures for which the associated costs are relatively low and for which the benefits, although primarily realized under projected future climate changes, may be relatively large”. Concept completed on 19 November 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P153544. US$ 300.0 (IDA Credit). Consulting services to be determined. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Tel: 0913218121, E-mail: longtk.htqt@mard.gov.vn, Contact: Kim Long Tran, Director General, ICD; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam Tel: 0983125125, E-mail: ppbinh@monre.gov.vn, Contact: Phu Binh Pham, Director General, ICD; Government of Vietnam.
Can Tho Urban Development and Resilience: The Project Development Objective is to reduce flood risk in the urban core area, improve connectivity between the city center and the new low risk urban growth areas, and enhance the capacity of city authorities to manage disaster risk in Can Tho City. Negotiations authorized on 17 December 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P152851.US$125.0/125.0/10.0 (IBRD/IDA Credit/SWTZ). Consulting services to be determined. Can Tho City People’s Committee Tel: 07103754084, E-mail: canthonuup@gmail.com, Contact: Vo Thanh Thong, Chairman.
HCMC Flood Risk Management: The proposed Project Development Objective is to reduce flood risk and improve drainage in selected areas in Ho Chi Minh City. Concept completed on 25 February 2015. Environmental Assessment Category A. Project: P149696. US$400.0 (IBRD). Consulting services to be determined. HCMC Steering Center for the Flood Control Program Tel: 84983157177, E-mail: nhadung.ttcn@tphcm.gov.vn, Contact: Mr. Nguyen Hoang Anh Dung, Deputy Director.
| Country | Active Public Sector | Pipeline Public Sector | Active Private Sector | Pipeline Private Sector | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amounts in millions USD. Public Sector commitments include loans and grants from IBRD/IDA. Private Sector commitments include investments and advisory services from the IFC and guarantees from MIGA (as of 3 March 2016). |
|||||
| Bangladesh | 9,125.04 | 1,482.94 | 1,023.98 | 983.72 | 12,615.68 |
| Burma | 1,465.20 | 200.00 | 288.86 | 884.30 | 2,838.36 |
| Cambodia | 165.89 | 134.96 | 431.31 | 13.00 | 745.16 |
| India | 27,150.21 | 4,337.57 | 7,132.26 | 759.24 | 39,379.28 |
| Indonesia | 5,447.57 | 1,869.72 | 1,482.25 | 542.41 | 9,341.95 |
| Mongolia | 182.79 | 20.48 | 1,339.08 | 503.37 | 2,045.72 |
| Nepal | 1,901.66 | 307.27 | 28.89 | 120.00 | 2,357.82 |
| The Philippines | 3,167.67 | 895.39 | 1,682.62 | 146.02 | 5,891.70 |
| Sri Lanka | 1,470.03 | 287.16 | 565.40 | 42.00 | 2,364.59 |
| Vietnam | 8,961.19 | 2,410.16 | 1,396.14 | 680.00 | 13,447.49 |
| TOTAL | 59,037.25 | 11,945.65 | 15,370.78 | 4,674.06 | 91,027.74 |
