The perceived high costs of World Bank safeguards are often used to justify the simplification of the policies. In fact, the evidence behind the claims of excessive safeguard costs is surprisingly flimsy.
As citizens of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continue to fight for the gains they have accomplished through their uprisings, it remains clear that people in the region have found their voices and are demanding that they participate in the decisions that affect their lives. In response, and in order to remain …
Community Controlled Impact Assessment and Impact and Benefit Agreements: Relevance for upward harmonization of World Bank Group Safeguard Policies Dr. Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh, Professor of Politics and Public Policy in the School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University, Australia met with the World Bank during the week of November 18 to advocate for the inclusion …
On August 2, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) opened the first phase of public consultations on its Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (ICIM), aiming to revise and update the ICIM policy that has been in effect since September 2010. The ICIM (commonly known by its Spanish acronym, MICI) is an IDB policy that establishes an independent body …
Members of Congress, including Democratic Leader Pelosi and members of House Financial Services Committee, write to U.S. agencies and World Bank President Kim to back proper U.S. government oversight, independent accountability mechanisms and stronger safeguard policies
Complaint submitted to World Bank Inspection Panel implicates the World Bank in serious human rights abuses carried out by the Ethiopian government through forced villagization
World Bank proposal to reform Investment Lending Operational Policies threaten to dilute key Safeguard enabling requirements and could severely reduce accountability at the Bank. Together with other recent developments, these reforms to investment lending suggest a systematic dilution of the Bank’s social, environmental, and transparency standards, most of which have been undertaken through non-transparent and non-participatory processes.
The World Bank makes public its interim strategy for Tunisia after the government agrees to early disclosure. On June 27, 2012 the World Bank made public its interim strategy for Tunisia for the years 2013-2014 which outlines its engagement in the country during this transitional period. The Bank’s Board of Executive Directors is set to …
Under pressure to keep up with a changing world, the Bank is modernizing. Encompassing the primary operational policy reforms, as well as changes to enhance the enabling environment for policy implementation, the modernization agenda will set the stage for the upcoming review of World Bank safeguard policies. With a wide array of ongoing internal and …