Posts Tagged ‘ifi disclosure policy’
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28 February 2014
FOI Notes: World Bank, Honesty Oscars, Contracting, Big Data
IFTI Watch: The Bank Information Center has updated its how-to guide called “Unlocking the World Bank’s Access to Information Policy.” The principal author of the “toolkit” is Veronique Danforth. Honesty Oscars: The Accountability Lab and ONE is conducting voting for the Honesty Oscars 2014 Feb. 24-28 “to honor groundbreaking people and creative that make our […]
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22 January 2014
EBRD Proposes Revision of Public Information Policy
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has issued a draft revised Public Information Policy (PIP) for public comment. The draft policy would amend the 2011 PIP. French and Russian versions are in the works Comments are due by March 6, They should be sent to Publicinformationpolicy@ebrd.com. The draft revisions appears to be light. In […]
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7 October 2013
Green Climate Fund Urged to Fix Draft Information Plan
Revisions are needed in the draft policy on information disclosure about to be considered by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), according to the Global Transparency Initiative. The GCF is an international financial institution which uses lending to promote compliance with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The draft policy on information disclosure is on the […]
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25 July 2013
World Bank to Disclose More on Its Contracts
The World Bank will soon begin disclosing more about contracts valued at more than $250,000. The information – contractor name, a brief description of services and the contract amount — will be published on the World Bank Group’s Open Finances website. The new disclosures, to be done quarterly, will begin Oct. 1, covering the period […]
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22 July 2013
IMF Issues Modified Transparency Policy
The International Monetary Fund July 22 announced modest alterations to its transparency policy. The revised policy continues to give member governments the ability to block the release of IMF assessments of their economies, but increases the pressure for disclosure. Currently, when countries seek to borrow exceptional amounts, the IMF Managing Director can condition a favorable recommendation on […]
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21 June 2013
World Bank Issues More on Trust Funds; Still Limited
By Toby McIntosh The World Bank is disclosing increasingly more information about the hundreds of “trust funds” that account for about 10 percent of Bank operations, but there’s still no easy way to get a complete picture of individual trust fund operations. A number of pro-transparency steps have been taken, and more moves are being planned. […]
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21 June 2013
GTI Critiques Access Proposal by Climate Change Fund
The Global Transparency Initiative has urged the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international lending body, to narrow the exemptions in a proposed access to information policy. The GCF, which promotes compliance with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has proposing an information disclosure policy, Information Disclosure, including Webcasting. The GCF Board will discuss […]
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22 April 2013
CSOs Say IMF Transparency Policy Worst Among IFIs
The International Monetary Fund is less transparent than other International Financial Institutions, according to civil society organizations that responded to the Fund’s call for comments. The Fund is undergoing a review of its 2009 transparency policy and expects for the Board to consider the subject in May. The draft of any proposed changes will not […]
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19 April 2013
World Bank Officials Praise Impact of Access Reforms
The World Bank has decided to bring more openness to its own procurements, an official said April 18. The Bank will soon make available information about Bank contracts, notwithstanding an exemption it gave itself in the 2010 access policy, according to Paul Bermingham, who chairs the Access to Information Committee. He also is director, Operational […]
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29 March 2013
IMF Transparency Criticized; Consultations Called Flawed
The International Monetary Fund “fails to establish a proper system of openness,” according to a submission made by a nongovernmental organization. The comment quoted above, by the Centre for Law and Democracy, was submitted in response to an IMF call for comment about its disclosure policy. The consultation process itself has garnered criticisms from transparency […]
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11 March 2013
World Bank Audit Questions Transparency of IFC Lending
By Toby McIntosh The World Bank “knows very little” about the environmental and social effects of lending done through “financial intermediaries,” according to an extensive critique by an internal watchdog. The report also raises questions about restrictions in the World Bank’s disclosure policy concerning such lending, in which intermediaries such as private banks receive Bank […]
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4 March 2013
World Bank Appeals Board Issues First Decisions
The World Bank’s external appeals board has issued its first two decisions, both confirming denial decisions made by the internal Access to Information Committee (AIC). In one decision, the Appeals Board agreed that reports on the implementation of a controversial transportation project in India should not be disclosed. The decision draws attention to a change in the Bank’s […]
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25 February 2013
IMF Begins Consultation on 2009 Transparency Policy
The International Monetary Fund has commenced a review of its 2009 transparency policy. The IMF on Feb. 21 posted a call for comments along with eleven specific questions. The deadline is March 29. A conference call with representatives of civil society groups is being planned. The most recent revision of the IMF transparency policy went into effect […]
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4 January 2013
World Bank Planning More Transparency for Trust Funds
The World Bank is planning to allow more access to information about the operations of trust funds it administers, according to a new report evaluating the first 18 months of its revised Access to Information Policy. The Dec. 19 report, placed on the Bank website without an announcement, reviews the Bank’s performance, providing many statistics. […]
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27 September 2012
ADB Names Three Members of New Appeals Panel
The Asian Development Bank Sept. 27 appointed the three members of its new Independent Appeals Panel to review appeals under its revised Public Communications Policy. The panel members, who will serve for three years, are: Surasee Kosolnavin is a former executive director of Thailand’s Official Information Commission. An attorney, he was a commissioner of the […]
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18 September 2012
World Bank to Publish AI Decisions Upon Issuance
The World Bank has decided to publish online all the decisions by the internal body that rules on access to information appeals, eliminating a delay caused by the current system. The decisions by the Access to Information Committee have been published in quarterly and annual reports, but now will be posted on the AI website […]
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20 July 2012
Access Sought to World Bank Reports on Bangladesh
Efforts are being made to obtain public access to two reports sent by the World Bank to the Bangladesh government about possible corruption surrounding a major bridge project. Release of the reports is at the discretion of the government, which so far as declined to disclose them. Another World Bank report on the same project, […]
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9 September 2011
Public Interest Appeals to World Bank Unsuccessful
Appeals to the World Bank to release information “in the public interest” that otherwise is deemed confidential under Bank policies have been unsuccessful so far, according to Bank reports. However, in a recent appeal case, the Bank’s Access to Information Committee decided to use its own prerogative to release otherwise exempt materials. The decision came […]
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24 June 2011
Detailed Reports Finds Weakneses in AfDB Policy
Obtaining information from the African Development Bank can be frustrating, according to researchers who visited the Bank’s website and went to Bank local offices. Their experiences informed a detailed study, the results of which have just been released. It was conducted for the Global Transparency Initiative by Idasa, an Africa democracy institute based in South Africa. […]