Release of the latest Emerging Lessons Series on Livelihoods. Panel Chairperson Ms. The first Panel included Mr. Kunanayagam provided valuable perspectives on how Inspection Panel plays a crucial role in ensuring the Bank's accountability through compliance with its policies and procedures. She also shared an example of a recent Panel investigation on Togo, Climate Resilience project, where climate and poverty were at the heart of investigation.
The session had an engaging discussion on several key topics, including the rights of individuals affected by World Bank projects, the need to anticipate and address unintended harms resulting from Bank operations, institutional learning and the disseminating the existence of Inspection Panel as an avenue for project affected communities. Abdoul Salam Bello shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by African countries in holding the World Bank accountable.
One of the key issues discussed in this session was the limited number of complaints received by Accountability Mechanisms including the Inspection Panel from the MENA region since its establishment in Despite the establishment of the Grievance Redress Service in , the MENA region continues to have fewer complaints compared to other regions.
The panelists highlighted several factors contributing to these barriers including the shrinking civic space in the MENA region, which restricts the ability of communities and civil society organizations to voice their concerns and hold the World Bank accountable. Non-transparent lending instruments were also identified as a challenge, making it difficult for affected communities to understand the terms and conditions of the projects and their potential impacts. Existing institutional barriers and fear of retaliation were also highlighted as another crucial aspect discussed during the session.
Kunanayagam agreed in the main with the reasons discussed and shared data from the Inspection Panel which also demonstrated the lack of cases from the MENA region. She recognized that access to justice mechanisms such as the Inspection Panel needed to make itself more accessible, especially to those fearing reprisals but at the same remarked that the legitimacy and influence of its impact stems from the rigor of its work and its tight legal framework as the imprimatur of the World Bank Executive Board.
