Minutes of meeting on the Chad-Cameroon pipeline
Inspection Panel
Rights
News
World Bank dams provoke hunger strikes in Pakistan
In February affected communities, and local NGOs undertook a hunger strike in protest against the implementation of the Bank funded water project of the Taunsa Barrage Emergency Rehabilitation and Modernisation.
Infrastructure
News
Bujagali dam unlikely to benefit ordinary Ugandans
The World Bank is so keen to promote the Bujagali II hydropower project as the solution to Uganda’s energy problems that it has set up a special website for it. Local and international groups who have been lobbying for a full and fair review of Uganda's energy options point out that Bujagali is unlikely to meet the needs of the 95 per cent of Ugandans who live far from the national grid and have never benefited from modern energy services.
Environment
News
Mortgaging Iraq’s oil wealth
As a "key ingredient" of IMF lending and debt relief, Iraq's government has just presented a new draft petroleum law to its cabinet that could permit up to two-thirds of Iraq's known reserves to be exploited by multinational oil companies under contracts lasting for 20 years.
Gender
Commentary
Huge gaps in the World Bank's Gender Action Plan
The World Bank's new Gender Action Plan (GAP), aptly named Gender equality as smart economics, is tightly framed in the Bank's economic policy framework.
Accountability
Analysis
The IFCs lessons of experience & the Chad-Cameroon oil and pipeline project
In September 2006 the IFC published its first issue of a new publication entitled Lessons of Experience. However, the IFC's lessons drawn from the external compliance monitoring group in the Chad-Cameroon project read more like a tool to market the concept of external monitors to IFC clients than lessons meant to design a more effective role for the external monitor in improving implementation of social and environmental commitments.
Infrastructure
News
High-risk water infrastructure at any cost
After a decline in the late 90s, World Bank lending for water projects has been rapidly increasing over recent years, reaching $1.8 billion in FY05, and is set to continue.
Environment
News
Bank environmental commitment under fire
Details of the World Bank's current sustainability disasters in light of the dismantling of ESSD
Accountability
Background
Inspection Panel
Established in 1993, the Inspection Panel was created to address the concerns of those who are affected by Bank-funded projects and to ensure the Bank adheres to its operational policies throughout its projects. The three panel members are elected by the Bank's executive board to serve non-renewable five-year terms, but remain independent of Bank management. The current chairperson is Edith Brown Weiss; the other current members are Tongroj Onchan and Werner Kiene.
IFI governance
Analysis
Beware the big, bland wolf
What has most surprised World Bank watchers is how little Paul Wolfowitz has changed the institution he took over one year ago. On Africa, infrastructure, debt relief and the environment, he has stayed the course - for better or worse - set by his predecessor James Wolfensohn. On the high-profile issue of corruption, he has created a lot of noise, but many question whether or not he has a plan. Only in his management moves has he lived up to the fears - or in some cases wishes - of his critic
Accountability
News
Request for inspection of West Africa gas pipeline
In April, the Ifesowapo Host Communities Forum in Nigeria requested the Inspection Panel investigate the West African Gas Pipeline project.
IFI governance
News
Inspection Panel condemns Bank forestry project in Cambodia
A leaked Inspection Panel report heavily criticises a Bank's forestry management project in Cambodia.
