Sponsor: World Bank Group Panelists: Merza Hassan (Executive Director for Kuwait, and Dean of the…
Agriculture
Private Sector
Analysis
IFC funding to financial intermediaries: unfit for purpose
An IFC investment in ANZ Royal Bank has been criticised after the bank was implicated in a “massive land grab” in Cambodia. Further cases from Guatemala and Honduras reinforce calls for IFC to rethink its investments in financial intermediaries.
Land
News
World Bank and agriculture: Cultivating controversy?
The World Bank’s push for ‘climate-smart agriculture’, including a new joint initiative, was criticised by CSOs. An Inspection Panel case on forced labour in Uzbekistan cotton fields was postponed for up to 12 months.
Rights
Analysis
IFC's bitter tea
As the CAO publishes its assessment report of its investigation into allegations of human rights violations by IFC-funded APPL, Tata Tea's parent company in Assam new evidence emerges of the IFC's failings.
Rights
Analysis
IFC fails to act on human rights abuses in Honduras
IFC accountability mechanism formally links World Bank client to human rights abuses on palm oil project in Honduras, and highlights systemic problems with IFC procedures.
Rights
Commentary
CSO response to the CAO investigation into IFC investment in Corporación Dinant, Honduras
An international statement, signed by 70 organisations, in response to the publication in mid January of a CAO audit and the IFC response and action plan related to IFC investment in Corporación Dinant, Honduras.
Social services
News
Palestinian NGOs reject Red Sea-Dead Sea canal
In the wake of the April publication of the World Bank funded feasibility study of the Red Sea – Dead Sea canal, a coalition of 19 Palestinian organisations and three experts have rejected the plan and described the participation process as a “mockery”.
Rights
News
IFC financed tea plantation investigated over human rights violations
An in-depth investigation is currently being taken out by the CAO into human rights violations on IFC financed Tata tea plantations.
Land
News
World Bank push for agribusiness in Africa
A World Bank report on land governance has been criticised by NGOs. Meanwhile the Bank pushed ahead with the Benchmarking the Business of Agriculture initiative despite civil society concerns.
Infrastructure
Background
Civil society meeting with Stewart James, UK Alternate Executive Director to the World Bank
Minutes of CSO meeting with Stewart James, UK Alternate Executive Director to the World Bank, 15 July 2013
