Despite tremendous gains in the new World Bank Access to Information Policy, it continues to limit public access in a number of serious ways:
- Overly Broad Exceptions: While the new transparency policy does recognize a presumption of disclosure, the exceptions are too broad. This is particularly true for the provisions pertaining to the deliberative process, third-party information, and Executive Directors’ communications.
- Public Interest Override Has Limited Application: The Bank successfully established a public interest override for information requests, but the override only applies to information restricted by only three of the ten exceptions.
- Opaque Board Meetings and Board Communications: The new policy does not call for open board meetings and rejected timely access to meeting transcripts and Executive Directors’ statements.
- Weak Simultaneous Disclosure Provision: All draft information considered deliberative is not subject to simultaneous disclosure. Countries can veto simultaneous disclosure and there is no commitment to disclose draft Country Assistant Strategies, which outline the Bank’s long-term development goals for a country.
These limitations in the new policy lead civil society observers to restrain judgment until practices change.
Need to embrace transparency culture
True access to information will require a culture change at the World Bank. The institution will need to find creative ways to encourage its staff to embrace the culture of transparency. The current incentives system for Bank staff does not reflect true efforts to foster a widespread attitude shift.
Finally, the new access to information policy is intended to target local citizens and affected communities so that they may take on an increased participatory role in the development process. The Bank must consider that among the various stakeholder groups, affected people are the hardest group to reach. Thus the Bank must continue to develop initiatives to engage affected communities.