April 21, 1999
After several years of campaigning for more public accountability of the World Bank’s private sector side, US environmental groups today applauded the World Bank Group’s decision to appoint Meg Taylor of Papua New Guinea as the Ombudsperson for IFC and MIGA. This position was designed in part to address the concerns of local communities who are adversely affected by IFC or MIGA-supported projects and to advise senior management on issues relating to their social, environmental and information disclosure policies.
The newly created ombudsperson, the first of its kind in a multilateral development bank, will review complaints, and advise and report directly to President Wolfensohn. “The mechanism was set up to be practical and solution-driven which is ultimately what local communities harmed by IFC financed projects really want,” said David Hunter, Executive Director of the Center for International Environmental Law. “But the rules of the game still have to be written, said Hunter. “This is where IFC shows whether or not it is really committed to public accountability; by writing procedures that foster real and honest accountability.”
For the moment, environmentalists in Washington are taking a wait and see approach. As Andrea Durbin, Director of the International Program at Friends of the Earth-US, commented, “Mr. Wolfensohn speaks highly of the need for the Bank to be more accountable as a public institution. While Meg Taylor is bringing a wide range of different experiences and goodwill to this accountability effort, we will want to see what happens when communities start banging at the door.”
Finally, the environmentalists emphasized that the ombudsperson is only part of the effort to make the World Bank more accountable. The World Bank also has a fledgling independent inspection panel that still does not apply to the private side of the World Bank and is under attack by the Bank’s Board of Directors. “The new ombudsperson, which is an advisory and informal problem-solving mechanism, is certainly a step in the right direction. However, it doesn’t preclude the need for an effective inspection panel function. People harmed by the Bank’s lending also need a clear process that is free and independent of the management structure.” said Kay Treakle, Managing Director of the Bank Information Center.
The new ombudsperson’s office is expected to be opened for business in July.
Ms Taylor was Papua New Guinea’s Ambassador to the United States from 1989 to 1994, and was also accredited to Mexico and Canada. She co-founded and chairs Conservation Melanesia, a community-based conservation organization working with communities on terrestrial and marine issues and is presently a Board member of World Wildlife Fund-US and World Resources Institute. She has been a member of the World Forestry Commission and has carried out a number of environmental and social reviews as a consultant. In addition, Ms. Taylor is a board member of several private companies in Papua New Guinea in the natural resources, financial and agricultural sectors.