Bank watchdog urges ADB not to dilute Accountability Mechanism
By Romil Hernandez
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 2 Sep 11 -- NGO Forum on ADB today expressed its strong disappointment over the second consultation paper of the ongoing Accountability Mechanism review. In a letter, Forum said the ADB has continued to sideline affected people for whom the policy is really intended for.
“The Second Consultation Paper clearly shows that ADB is not seriously considering the need of affected people to have greater access to the Accountability Mechanism supposedly intended to address their issues concerning the Bank’s operations,” Forum said
The Accountability Mechanism of the ADB provides a venue for people adversely affected by projects funded by the regional bank to file a complaint over problems brought by its operation.
Forum said that significant changes in the policy draft should be made to better guarantee the independence and accessibility of the Accountability Mechanism.
In a letter submitted to the Joint Board-Management Working Group on the Accountability Mechanism review, Forum said that ADB should ensure improved access by affected people, extension of the cut-off date for filing a case to two years after the issuance of a project’s completion report, broader scope of the policy, increased independence of the Accountability Mechanism, and removal of grievance redress mechanism as prerequisite for filing a case, among others.
“We strongly believe that efforts made to strengthen the Accountability Mechanism through the conduct of public consultations and previously making the Review-Paper available for public comments will be rendered meaningless if the Joint Board-Management Working Group on the AM Review continues to ignore recommendations submitted not only by civil society organizations but by the people themselves who are adversely affected by the Bank’s lapses in its operations,” the bank watchdog said.
In May 2010, President Haruhiko Kuroda formally announced the review of the Accountability Mechanism during the ADB’s Annual Meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Read Forum’s letter to Joint Board-Management Working Group
Learn more about the Accountability Mechanism
By Romil Hernandez
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 2 Sep 11 -- NGO Forum on ADB today expressed its strong disappointment over the second consultation paper of the ongoing Accountability Mechanism review. In a letter, Forum said the ADB has continued to sideline affected people for whom the policy is really intended for.
“The Second Consultation Paper clearly shows that ADB is not seriously considering the need of affected people to have greater access to the Accountability Mechanism supposedly intended to address their issues concerning the Bank’s operations,” Forum said
The Accountability Mechanism of the ADB provides a venue for people adversely affected by projects funded by the regional bank to file a complaint over problems brought by its operation.
Forum said that significant changes in the policy draft should be made to better guarantee the independence and accessibility of the Accountability Mechanism.
In a letter submitted to the Joint Board-Management Working Group on the Accountability Mechanism review, Forum said that ADB should ensure improved access by affected people, extension of the cut-off date for filing a case to two years after the issuance of a project’s completion report, broader scope of the policy, increased independence of the Accountability Mechanism, and removal of grievance redress mechanism as prerequisite for filing a case, among others.
“We strongly believe that efforts made to strengthen the Accountability Mechanism through the conduct of public consultations and previously making the Review-Paper available for public comments will be rendered meaningless if the Joint Board-Management Working Group on the AM Review continues to ignore recommendations submitted not only by civil society organizations but by the people themselves who are adversely affected by the Bank’s lapses in its operations,” the bank watchdog said.
In May 2010, President Haruhiko Kuroda formally announced the review of the Accountability Mechanism during the ADB’s Annual Meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Read Forum’s letter to Joint Board-Management Working Group
Learn more about the Accountability Mechanism
© 2008 NGO Forum on ADB. | Content may be used freely if source is acknowledged.