IFTI Watch
-
1 January 2003
Inter-American Development Bank Announces Consultation on Disclosure Policy
The Inter-American Development Bank Jan. 14 announced a public “electronic consultation” on a major rewrite of its Policy on Information Disclosure. The Bank issued a 16-page description of its proposed policies, the first significant revision since 1994. The changes “would considerably broaden the scope of the kinds of information that Bank management would regularly make […]
-
1 January 2003
EBRD’s Information Policy Proposal Criticized; Deadline Extended
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s proposed changes to its public information policy have drawn criticism from environmental groups in Central and Eastern Europe who have filed some of the first comments. The Bank requested public comment on the revisions in October, with an initial deadline for comments of Dec. 6, but has subsequently […]
-
1 January 2003
Most Investment Banks at Some Stage of Reviewing Disclosure Policies
Most international financial institutions are engaged in reviewing their information disclosure policies, according to a freedominfo.org survey. The banks’ reform efforts are at various stages, and their plans continue to face criticism from nongovernmental institutions. In surveying activity at various banks, freedominfo.org has learned that the Asian Development Bank, whose disclosure policy web page has […]
-
1 January 2003
IMF Sets Stage for June Reconsideration of Article IV Disclosure
In June 2003, the IMF Executive Board is planning to reconsider whether to force the release of more, maybe all, Article IV reports, the country-specific assessments that guide IMF lending. The IMF has edged slowly to this point and the IMF staff is continuing to study its disclosure policies. The Board, in a Sept. 27, […]
-
1 January 2003
Release of Secret Loan Document in Uruguay Fuels Public Debate
The leak of a usually secret document describing the terms of a recent World Bank loan to Uruguay has stoked public anger at conditions attached to the loan, according to activists and journalists there. The release also showed how much crucial information was being withheld from the public. The document signed by Uruguay’s finance minister […]
-
1 January 2003
Civil Sector Groups Criticize New EIB Disclosure Policy
CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth International Dec. 4 charged that the European Investment Bank’s new information policy “fails to live up to expectations” and after two years in the making is “only a slight improvement over the previous one.” “It’s amazing how vague the new policy is,” said Magda Stoczkiewicz, EIB Campaign […]
-
1 January 2003
How EIB Officials Look at Transparency: A freedominfo.org Interview
The European Investment Bank is "not comparable" to other international financial institutions, began Henry Marty-Guaquie, Director de la Communication for the EIB, in an interview about transparency with freedominfor.org Nov. 5. By this he means that the EIB should be viewed less as a policy-setting organization than as a financial institution with special needs to […]
-
1 December 2002
Lack of Transparency a Major Controversy in Cambodian Logging Dispute
(The following six articles are reprinted with permission from The Cambodia Daily. They provide a vivid description of the importance of transparency and public review. The first article sets the stage, describing the controversy surrounding logging operations in Cambodia supported by the World Bank. The subsequent articles describe vividly the efforts of villagers to obtain […]
-
22 November 2002
Ugandan Judge Orders Release of Key Document on Bujagali Dam
Ugandan Judge Orders Release of Key Document on Bujagali Dam. Relying on the open government clause of the Ugandan constitution, a top Ugandan judge Nov. 12 ordered the release of a key document about a controversial dam project that the Ugandan government and the World Bank declined to disclose. More … Judge Rejects Government Claims. […]
-
22 November 2002
Cutting Plans Criticized; Global Witness Seeks Halt to Logging
By Richard Sine The Cambodia Daily, November 22, 2002 Three years ago, a major study commissioned by the Asian Development Bank found forests here so depleted, and cutting rates so rapid, that logging was only viable for a few more years on most concessions. In plans made public last week, every logging company appears to […]
-
7 November 2002
European Investment Bank Issues New Transparency Policy
The European Investment Bank has written a new transparency policy. The new rule continues to emphasize the EIB’s willingness to honor requests for confidentiality by third parties. It indicates that the EIB will follow the disclosure practices of the banking industry. The new rule will soon be posted on the EIB web site (www.eib.org), but […]
-
1 November 2002
Environmental Group Analysis PPA
The International Rivers Network (IRN) commissioned the Prayas Energy Group, a policy analysis organization based in Pune, India, to review the PPA. The analysis found that the capital cost of the project is "excessively high." It also contended that "a number of unusual requirements will be detrimental to Uganda." In particular, the study said the […]
-
1 November 2002
EBRD Announces Proposal to Modify Public Information Policy
The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development Bank Oct. 23 proposed revisions to its Public Information Policy and invited public comment by Dec. 6. At the same time, the EBRD requested public reactions to an update of its policies on environmental reviews. Further, the EBRD unveiled a proposal for an “Independent Recourse Mechanism.” This would […]
-
17 October 2002
Top World Bank Official Supports More Disclosure of Oil Revenue Payments
Top World Bank Official Supports More Disclosure of Oil Revenue Payments. Oil, gas and mineral companies should fully disclose their payments to governments of developing nations, the head of the World Bank’s private sector lending arm said recently, adding another voice to a steadily growing campaign for such disclosures. More … Woicke Statement Welcomed. International […]
-
1 October 2002
Disclosure or Deception? Multilateral Development Banks and Access to Information
By Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South, October 2002 Multilateral institutions such as the Asian Development Band (ADB) and the World Bank pride themselves on their information disclosure policies. Especially since the Asian economic crisis, they have held their policies up as evidence of their commitment to transparency, accountability and participation. Information disclosure policies […]
-
1 September 2002
Groups Suggest Changes in EBRD Public Information Policy
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is preparing a new draft of their Public Information Policy (PIP) that may be presented to the EBRD Board for first review sometime in the Fall. Groups following the EBRD have submitted many suggestions for change, as summarized below. Access to Evaluation Documents. Lack of Process for […]
-
1 September 2002
Analysis of Transparency Issues at the World Bank
Despite changes made in the World Bank’s disclosure policies, more transparency is still possible. Below is a summary of current transparency issues. To read more about the Bank’s changes made in August 2002, see the policy itself made in 2002. Or read the summary from the Bank Information Center. Areas where improvements could be made […]
-
1 September 2002
Lack of Clarity in the Process for Rewriting the EIB Disclosure Policy
On June 28, 2002, at a EIB consultation with NGOs in Copenhagen, Martin Koehler, a staff member with the Campaign to Reform the World Bank, demanded “a formalization of the disclosure policy review process, with clear timelines regarding the publication of drafts, the status of such drafts within the institutional decision-making process, and the period […]
-
26 July 2002
Ugandan High Court to Consider Releasing Key Document on Dam Project
The Ugandan High Court will listen to arguments Aug. 22 to decide whether a contract document for the proposed Bujagali Dam should be released to the public. Neither the Ugandan government, nor the dam project’s sponsor, AES Nile Power, a subsidiary of AES Corp. of Arlington, Va., have previously refused to release the Power Purchase […]
-
1 July 2002
EBRD Reviewing Information Disclosure Policy
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is preparing a new draft of their Public Information Policy (PIP) that will be presented to the EBRD Board for first review sometime in the Fall, Bank officials confirmed. "This is a process of EBRD staff listening to comment and criticism, identifying where improvements can be made, […]