---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Shefali Sharma Dear Friends,
We wanted to give everyone a heads up that the ADB will be holding their South Asia Regional Consultation regarding the review of their safeguard policies on environment (completed 2002), indigenous people (1998) and involuntary resettlement (1995). It will be held on March 26-27th in Delhi. They are going to have about 60 people there, about ten from the Indian government, 2-3 from seven other countries: Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Bhutan. They will invite around 20 CSOs and are currently seeking names for groups that work with project affected people or representatives of those who have been impacted by projects in any of these countries. They've asked BIC to suggest names, but we'd rather that people who wish to participate in the meeting contact the ADB directly. Their contact information is provided below. As a background note for those who have not been following these developments: The ADB announced in July 2005, that it would update its three safeguard policies. According to the ADB, this will "enhance the effectiveness" of the policies and meet the changing needs of its borrowers like India and China. As you know, ADB safeguards have been used by civil society groups to challenge the ADB and governments (both donors and borrowers) in meeting their responsibility towards project affected people with regards to resettlement, environment and indigenous peoples' rights. This is especially the case when national and local laws have no such provisions. There is an ongoing effort to strengthen the safeguards and groups who are monitoring the Safeguard Policy Update (SPU) are concerned that the process may lead to a weakening of existing safeguards and accountability mechanisms rather than strengthening them. This is because the ADB is seriously considering a shift towards "country systems". Countries like India and China are pushing the World Bank and the ADB to utilize the laws and standards of their own countries rather than the safeguard policies/procedures that have been adopted by the Banks. These countries feel that the requirements by the Banks are too cumbersome and prevent the governments in moving forward with planned projects and that all the procedural requirements mandated by the safeguards slow the project down. Currently, both the World Bank (WB) and the ADB are examining whether India and other governments have adequate legal and regulatory systems in place to implement the requirements from the existing safeguard policies. In some cases, they are finding that the appropriate laws don't exist. In other cases, of course, there is no implementation of the law. Yet, we all know that in many respects, the WB/ADB safeguard policies are also flawed and lacking; while in some aspects, they may be stronger than what is on paper in government laws. The question of whether you hold the ADB or the government accountable in terms of implementation of safeguards is a strategic one. But depending on how far the shift takes place towards country systems and how much those changes water down even the existing safeguards---this has implications for communities impacted by WB/ADB projects and for WB/ADB campaigns. The ADB will come out with a draft of their report on safeguards sometime at the end of Feb. They will also come out with their findings on "Country systems" at about the same time. Meanwhile, the World Bank is conducting a pilot study in India to see how "country systems" would work in practice. The one WB pilot project that we know of is: West Bengal, Health Services Project (WB Project # P085291). See: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P085291 <http://webmail.bicusa.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627%26piPK=73230%26theSitePK=40941%26menuPK=228424%26Projectid=P085291> We do not know what the findings of this SPU will offer or how it will impact the ADB's lending. We have not yet seen any of the drafts that indicate which direction the ADB will take. But we do know that the ADB is studying a "framework approach" where it may lump all of its safeguards on environment, indigenous and resettlement under one umbrella-as a sort of benchmark. We just want to flag this as an important point of discussion. It raises some key strategic questions for the various networks monitoring the multilateral development banks and their specific projects. Those who want the ADB to invite some project affected people or groups that are working directly with communities should contact Amelia Esteban at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and Kay Choe at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and give them their full contact details. For more information on the SPU update, please see: http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2851.aspx <http://webmail.bicusa.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.2851.aspx> You can also visit the NGO Forum on the ADB website: http://www.forum-adb.org/Policy-Safeguards.html <http://www.forum-adb.org/Policy-Safeguards.html> For specific queries on the SPU, you can write to Jen Kalafut at [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> . If you need help in getting in touch with the ADB regarding this, please let us know or contact the NGO Forum on the ADB at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks and best wishes, Shefali Shefali Sharma Bank Information Center (BIC), South Asia Office Regional Coordinator 45B/L-1, DDA Flats Kalkaji, New Delhi 110019 tel. +91 11 653 44750 mobile: +91 9871168212 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ greenyouth mailinglist is the activist support mailinglist for kerala run by Global Alternate Information Applications (GAIA) To post to this group, send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
