Recall from Yesterday• “Bottom-up accountability” is key• Recourse is the new frontier• CSOs are important players• CSO have two roles vis-à-vis World Bank– Ensure that Bank does what it says it does – Partner with Bank in enhancing accountability in borrower

countries• The Bank should not be seen as a villain Bank is an institution that shares CSO values BUT pursues these

goals in ways that are sometimes not in line with CSO expectations

• Dialog, strategic partnership • Remember: “Sunshine is the Disinfectant” to improve all

aspects of the Development Process

How does the Inspection Panel function?

And How can you access the Panel?

Werner KieneChairman

Serge SelwanOperations Officer

The World Bank Inspection Panel

Marrakech, MoroccoJuly 23, 2009

The World Bank Group Two “houses” under one roof

• Public Investment – IBRD– IDA

• Private Investment– IFC – MIGA

• “Inspection Panel”(Reporting to the

Executive Board)

• “CAO” (Compliance/ Adviser / Ombudsman)(Reporting to the

President)

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What does the IBRD/IDA finance ??

Public Sector Arm of the World Bank Group• Projects/Programs– “Hard” Investment ….E.g. roads, dams– “Soft” Investment …..E.g. capacity building, – “Mixed” Investment…E.g. Water sector improv.

• Development Policy Loans (DPL)• Special Operations

• The Panel can be called in for ALL financing types

Inspection Panel is an independent Unit of WB

responds to complaints (Requests for Inspection)

by people who believe that they are suffering, or may

suffer, harm caused by a World Bank-financed project

What is the Inspection Panel ?

“Inspection Panel”

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Organization of Panel

• Three Members– Selection Procedure– Their role

• Secretariat– Organization– Role

• Expert Consultants

The Panel investigates whether the Bank has followed its own policies and procedures in design, appraisal and implementation of a project

Does NOT investigate Borrowers or implementing agencies

What does the Panel do?

Open loan/credit – less than 95% disbursed

Request can be submitted since Project identification phase (issuance of first PID).

After bringing issues to Bank attention

Any language. Names can be kept confidential

No procurement issues

When can the Panel deal with a Request

A community of two or more affected people

A local organization, or other duly appointed representative, on behalf of the affected people

A foreign organization, in exceptional circumstances, if no local representative is available

An Executive Director of the World Bank

Whose Request can the Panel Pursue?

Suggested Format for a Request for Inspection• 1. We [names of at least two persons] live and/or represent others who live in the

area known as [name of area]. Our addresses/contacts are attached.

• 2. We have suffered, or are likely to suffer, harm as a result of the World Bank's failures or omissions in the [insert name and/or brief description of the project or program] located in [insert location/country].

• 3. [Describe the damage or harm you are suffering or are likely to suffer from the project or program].

• 4. [List (if known) the World Bank's polices you believe have not been observed].

• 5. We have complained to World Bank staff on the following occasions [list dates]by [explain how the complaint was made]. We have received no response, [or]we have received a response and we are not satisfied that the explanations and answers solve our problems for the following reasons:__________________.

• 6. We request the Inspection Panel recommend to the World Bank's Executive Directors that an investigation of these matters be carried out.

• We [do/do not] authorize you to disclose our identities.

The Inspection Panel process: A) Two formal phases

B) “Informal” Follow-up Phase Eligibility – time bound

Request received Management Response

to Request (21 days) Panel’s eligibility report

and recommendation on investigation (21 days)

Board decision (on non – objection basis)

Investigation Upon Board

authorization Panel conducts fact-finding investigation

Panel’s investigation report

Management Report and Action Plan in response to Panel’s findings

Board Meeting

“Informal” Follow-up Phase

• Panel is “Fact-finding Mechanism” Panel makes “Findings” NOT recommendations

• Avoids conflict of interest, but reduces “bite”• Management plus Complainants plus Govmt. make

recommendations…. Board approves• No formal monitoring through Panel…. But Board

often asks for “fact-based” follow-up• Need for change to “Tracking” approach

The Panel has received Requests dealing with a

wide variety of projects and programs, such as:

land reform

extractive industries,

including pipelines,

mining, forestry

large infrastructure projects, including dams

structural adjustment loans

Diversity of Panel Cases

• Ethiopia: Compensation for Expropriation• Tanzania: Power generation • Lesotho/South Africa: Water• Argentina: Hydroelectric Dam • Kenya: Lake Victoria Environmtal Management • Chad/ Cameroon Pipeline• Colombia: Submarine Sewer Disposal• Uganda: Proposed Bujagali Hydropower • Burundi: Public Works Project• Cambodia: Forest management• Honduras: Land Titles• Democratic Republic of Congo: Forest Sector and DPL• Albania: Powerplant• Albania: Coastal Land Management• Nigeria: West African Gas Pipeline Project• Uganda: Bujagali Dam• Ghana: Accra Landfill• Panama: Land Titles• DRC: Mine Sector• Yemen: Institutional Reform Policy Development Grant

Project-level: Spotlight problems; sunshine Management Action Plan - - importance, issues, follow-up, return

visits Ultimate results for people

Similar projects/sectors Forests, infrastructure, Indigenous peoples

Bank-wide Incentives to apply safeguards (versus “proofing” of projects) Risk-taking; not transfer to most vulnerable

Other institutions Several have created similar mechanisms

An instrument of public participation The Panel gives voice to affected people during design, appraisal and

implementation of projects

Impacts of the Process

Confidentiality in investigation !Transparency with results !

Published on Panel web page: Notice of Registration Request for Inspection Management Response Panel Eligibility Report Panel Investigation Report Management Report and Recommendations

Information about Board decisions

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Contacting the PanelConfidentiality !!!!

• Here

• By Mail or emailThe Inspection Panel

World Bank1818 H Street, NW

Washington, DC 20433USA

ipanel@worldbnak.orgwww.inspectionpanel.org

Or: Confidential Mail Box: The Inspection PanelP. O. Box 27566Washington, D.C. 20038U.S.A.