IFTI Watch
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4 February 2011
CEE Bankwatch Urges More EBRD Disclosures
The CEE Bankwatch Network has submitted comments making suggestions for improving disclosure at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Bank in December sought comments on its existing public information policy (PIP). (See previous Freedominfo.org story.) The next stage will be preparation of a draft proposal. A top priority for the CEE Bankwatch, a […]
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28 January 2011
GTI Recommends Changes to Draft ADB Openness Policy
The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) explained its proposals to improve the second draft of the Public Communications Policy (PCP) prepared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) during a workshop in Manila Jan. 24 with key stakeholders, including senior ADB representatives. The ADB Board of Directors is scheduled to consider the draft PCP on Feb. 16. […]
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21 January 2011
EIB Cites Reasons for Not Disclosing FI Information
By Toby McIntosh The European Investment Bank does receive reports from financial intermediaries about the loan they make, but that information is “not necessarily the subject of a specific report,” according to clarifications to Freedominfo.org provided by EIB officials. The lack of such specific reports is one justification used by the EIB to explain its […]
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21 January 2011
World Bank Sets Rules on Public Interest Review
The World Bank Access to Information Committee has determined that the World Bank staffers, not the committee, will make the calls on requests for documents under five years old when the requester argues that disclosure is in the public interest notwithstanding valid justifications for nondisclosure. For documents over five years old, however, the committee will […]
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10 January 2011
GTI Makes Suggestions on ADB Draft Policy
The second draft of the proposed Public Communications Policy by the Asian Development Bank still needs improvement, according to comments submitted by the Global Transparency Initiative. While there have been come positive alterations, the regime of exceptions remains too narrow and the ADB needs to take more responsibility for ensuring access by affected people, according […]
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24 December 2010
IFC Issues Redrafted Disclosure Policy Proposal
The World Bank’s private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corporation, has issued a new proposal on access to information that continues to be more restrictive than the World Bank’s own new policy. During “Phase III” of its consultations, the IFC is organizing general and thematic consultations in different parts of the world. Phase III […]
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23 December 2010
EBRD Beginning Review of Public Information Policy
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced plans to review its Public Information Policy (PIP). The Bank indicated that it is requesting comments on its existing policy by the end of January and later will conduct a series of stakeholder consultations. After receiving comments, due Jan. 28, 2011, the EBRD said it […]
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22 December 2010
World Bank Issues Report on First Months of New Policy
The World Bank’s first report on its new Access to Information policy recounts a major internal education effort, reviews the levels of requests, and reveals some of the first interpretations of the policy since it went into effect July 1. The early interpretations indicate a willingness to consider redacting material so as to protect certain […]
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13 December 2010
BankWatch Research Exposes Gaps in EIB Disclosure Policy
A report showing that some European economic stimulus funds were slow reaching their intended recipients also exposes flaws in the disclosure policy of the European Investment Bank. The report by the CEE BankWatch Network concerns “global loans” — which are made by the EIB to intermediary commercial banks at preferential rates to help them make […]
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9 December 2010
Data Lacking for Broad Aid Transparency Study
A lack of data inhibited an effort to compare what information is publicly available on development aid from international institutions and donor nations, according to a new study by Publish What You Fund. Without enough primary, comparable data, putting together the report on 30 institutions was “challenging” according to the first of three findings in […]
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2 December 2010
ADB Issues Second Draft of Proposed Disclosure Policy
By Toby McIntosh The Asian Development Bank Nov. 26 proposed to release more documents prior to Executive Board meetings than previously proposed and to create an appeals body for disclosure requestors. The ADB’s second draft revision of its public communications policy would somewhat expand the “simultaneous disclosure” policy, under which certain documents are made public […]
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18 November 2010
Campaign Begins to Urge Greater Access by ASEAN
ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, should be more open, according to groups starting up a campaign promoting a freedom of information policy for the 10-nation alliance. “… [I]t is high time that the ASEAN made good its rhetoric of people orientation, and start the process of developing and adopting a Freedom of or Access to Information Policy […]
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5 November 2010
WB Pledged to Disclose Extinct Meeting Summaries
By Toby McIntosh In the spring of 2009, in the midst of consultations about a new disclosure policy for the World Bank, pro-transparency advocates urged the Bank to disclose the “Summaries of Discussion” prepared for many years about the meetings of the Bank’s Executive Board. The summaries, for internal use only, described what was said […]
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29 October 2010
Study Assesses Transparency by Major Aid Donors
The Publish What You Fund has assessed the transparency of 30 major aid donors. The Fund evaluated the donors in three categories: high level commitment to transparency; transparency to recipient governments; and transparency to civil society. Eight data sources were used to flesh out seven weighted indicators. The study evaluated countries and international financial institutions. […]
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22 October 2010
Information on Budgets Still Weak, IBP Survey Finds
Information on government budgets is improving, but in many countries is so minimal that governments can hide unpopular, wasteful and corrupt spending, according to the third annual Open Budget Survey 2010 by the International Budget Partnership (IBP). The survey found significant deficiencies in 40 of the 94 countries evaluated. “The Survey data reveal a strong […]
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22 October 2010
Academics Top Requesters Under New Bank Policy
The World Bank received 160 information requests in the first three months of its new Access to Information policy, according to a recent presentation by a Bank official. Between July 1 (the effective date of the policy) and Sept.30th, the World Bank had received 160 information requests; 100 of which were granted, 10 were denied […]
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15 October 2010
World Bank Releases Few Summaries of Meetings
By Toby McIntosh The “summaries” of World Bank Executive Board meetings now being disclosed under the Bank’s new Access to Information policy are substantially shorter and less comprehensive than the summaries prepared before the Bank agreed to release them, according to a Freedominfo.org review. In addition, the Bank has not disclosed summaries for all the Board meetings […]
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15 October 2010
IFTI Watch Notes: Sachs Urges Contract Disclosure
Sachs on Transparency: Columbia University economics professor Jeffrey Sachs, speaking in Washington recently, stressed the importance of transparency to help resource-rich countries harness the benefits of such wealth, according to an article in the Huffington Post by Chad Dobson, director of the Bank Information Center and staffer Rebecca Harris. Sachs stressed the importance of releasing […]
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9 October 2010
World Bank Offers Prizes for Apps Using Bank Data
The World Bank has offered prizes for the developers of software applications using World Bank data. The software applications must raise awareness of one or more of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) or contribute toward meeting them. Submissions may be any kind of software application, be it for the web, a personal computer, a mobile […]
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29 September 2010
BIC Leader Suggests More Uniform IFI Disclosure Policies
International financial institutions should align their disclosure policies, according to the director of a leading advocacy group favoring more liberal IFI disclosure policies. Chad Dobson, the executive director of the Bank Information Center in Washington, made his suggestion Sept. 28 at a forum sponsored by the Collaboration on Government Secrecy, affiliated with the American University […]