The EIB Group’s Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) organised an outreach event in Nairobi, supported by the Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) of the International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (IFC/MIGA) and in coordination with several other accountability mechanisms.
In a remarkable display of global collaboration, the Independent Accountability Mechanisms (IAMs) from nine International Financial Institutions* hosted an outreach workshop on June 12-13. The workshop brought together 31 representatives from civil society organisations (CSOs) across seven countries in the Eastern Africa region, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
The workshop provided a great opportunity for IAMs and CSOs to engage in interactive dialogues. The IAMs shared case studies to explain how they work and how they can be accessed, and the CSOs provided valuable feedback and made suggestions on the functioning of the accountability mechanisms.
Key outcomes of the workshop included:
- Raising Awareness: CSOs from the region gained insights into the accountability mechanisms of the respective institutions and their relevant functions, including compliance review and dispute resolution.
- Expanding Networks: The IAMs had the opportunity to connect with CSOs and individuals affected by development projects in the region, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Feedback Loop: CSOs provided valuable feedback on the effectiveness of the accountability mechanisms, the impact of their work and how the mechanisms can improve their accessibility.
- Engagement and Accountability: The workshop facilitated discussions on engagement and accountability issues related to both public and private sector development projects in the region.
*The participating IAMs:
*The World Bank Accountability Mechanism participated in the workshop, the Independent Recourse Mechanism (IRM) of the African Development Bank Group, the Independent Accountability Mechanism of the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. (DFC), the Complaints-resolution, Evaluation and Integrity Unit (CEIU) of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Independent Accountability Mechanism of FinDev Canada, the Office of the Independent Complaint Mechanism (IKI ICM) of Internationale Klimaschutzinitiative (IKI), and the Independent Complaints Mechanism of Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), and the Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique (PROPARCO).