IFTI Watch
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27 May 2015
UNEP Access Policy Criticized During Hearing in Kenya
Numerous suggestions to improve the interim access to information policy at the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP) were proposed during a public hearing held May 26 in Nairobi, Kenya. Most of the commentators urged that the interim policy, now in effect on a trial basis, be made less restrictive. Among other things, UNEP was urged […]
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24 April 2015
Leaked Document Describes IAEA Transparency Proposal
The veil has been lifted slightly on a secret 19-year-old transparency policy at International Atomic Energy Agency. Freedominfo.org/Nuclear Vault has obtained, from a non-Agency source, the proposal made in 1996 by the Secretariat to the Board of Governors for a more liberal disclosure policy. The Board did adopt a derestriction policy, but the policy has […]
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23 April 2015
IAEA Lacks Transparency, Observers, Researchers Say
By Toby McIntosh and William Burr McIntosh is Editor of FreedomInfo.org, published by the National Security Archive. Burr is Senior Analyst at the National Security Archive, where he directs the Archive’s nuclear history documentation project. See the Archive’s Nuclear Vault resources page. Several facts serve as metaphors to describe the lack of transparency at the […]
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9 April 2015
Oxfam Report Faults World Bank Transparency
The new report by the British-based group Oxfam and others has identified transparency gaps in the operations of the World Bank’s private sector lending arm. In particular the report examines lending done through “financial intermediaries” and reports that disclosure has been lacking. The report concluded: Another worrying discovery is that of the 49 investments the IFC made […]
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26 March 2015
Leaked TPP Draft Includes Rules on Transparency
Rules for transparency of international arbitrations are included in a recently leaked draft of a key section of the controversial, still-being-negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership. The section on transparency (begins on Page 27) would set standards for the conduct of the arbitrations to resolve complaints by investors against signatory governments. The transparency rules are good, but not […]
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12 March 2015
EIB Transparency Policy Called Watered Down
A new transparency policy by the European Investment Bank is “watered down,” according to public interest groups who followed its development. The EIB announced its “more user-friendly”new policy on March 10. Those following the process were pleased that some “dangerous provisions” had been dropped, but overall called it worse than the previous policy. A statement by nongovernmental […]
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26 February 2015
World Bank Rejects Request for Serbian Project Report
The World Bank Feb. 18 officially rejected a request by a Serbian journalist for reports on the procurement process concerning a concerning the procurement process for a controversial Bank-funded project in Serbia to pump water out of the flooded coal mine. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) “While there is no single World Bank report on the […]
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12 February 2015
World Bank Denies Access to Procurement Review Reports
By Toby McIntosh The World Bank, despite being a major supporter of “open contracting,” restricts access to its own reports on “post-procurement reviews.” Most recently, the Bank refused to disclose a report concerning the procurement process for a controversial project in Serbia. Investigative journalists in Serbia have raised questions about the qualifications of the contractor […]
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15 January 2015
EIB Makes Limited Changes in Second Draft of Policy
The European Investment Bank has made a few improvements to a proposed revision of its Transparency Policy, but not addressed many of the concerns of public interest groups. The EIB Board of Directors is expected to discuss the revised policy in its meeting on 3 February 2015. The EIB recently issued a revised draft, a […]
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8 January 2015
EU Ombudsman Seeks More Trade Talk Transparency
The European Commission on Jan. 7 issued more documents concerning the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations with the United States, a move welcomed by the European Ombudsman, who said even more should be disclosed. Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly issued an extensive report that includes numerous recommendations for the Commission, challenging the EC not to […]