Multilateral Development Bank Activities in Kazakhstan- Update #1 – February 1, 2004
18 March 2004
by NGO BIC
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Listed below is a summary of MDB involvement in Kazakhstan including the World Bank (WB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Bank Information Center’s (BIC’s) Europe and Central Asia Program has compiled a synopsis of selected new projects in the "pipeline" and newly available information to facilitate civil society monitoring and advocacy related to MDB activity in your country. If you have any questions related to this update or difficulty finding any documents related to these items, please contact BIC’s Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator, Karen Decker at .
For a summary of active MDB projects in Kazakhstan, read BIC’s report:
I. RECENTLY AVAILABLE MDB DOCUMENTS RELATED TO KAZAKHSTAN
The following project documents or information from one of the MDBs has recently become available. For a copy of the document, click on the link, check the Bank website or contact the Bank directly. For documents in Russian, contact your local Public Information Center. If you need any assistance, please contact BIC.
Rural Area Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project – ADB, Report and Recommendation to the President (management’s detailed description of the project), September 2003
Basic Education Project – ADB, Project Completion Report (the Bank’s project assessment prepared 1-2 years after project completion), December 2003
Pension Reform Program - ADB, Program Performance Audit Report (evaluation of project by the ADB's Operations Evaluation Department – OED), September 2003
Strengthening Government Program Performance – ADB, Technical Assistance Report (the Bank's description of the planning and analysis that will be conducted in preparation for a given project or policy), October 2003
Supporting Local Government Reforms – ADB, Technical Assistance Report (the Bank's description of the planning and analysis that will be conducted in preparation for a given project or policy), October 2003
Preparing the Regional Rural Development Project – ADB, Technical Assistance Report (the Bank's description of the planning and analysis that will be conducted in preparation for a given project or policy), September 2003
Technology and Institutional Development for Sustainable Locust Management – ADB, Technical Assistance Completion Report (the Bank's assessment of the planning and analysis carried out in preparation for a given project or policy), September 2003
II. NEW PROJECTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
The following information comes from the most recent publicly available information through January 20, 2004. It is not an exhaustive list of projects “in the pipeline” due to time lags and the inability to access certain information.
Project: COC Kazakhstan - Oil Sector Sub-contractor
Lending Institution: EBRD
Total Project Cost: US $25 million
Proposed Financing: US $7 million
Environmental Review Category: B
Description: The EBRD states that its loan will finance the purchase of barges and tug boats to assist in the construction of artificial islands in the Caspian Sea for an Agip KCO drilling program.
III. POLICY/ISSUE PAPERS AND REPORTS
This section includes links to reports and papers issued recently by the MDBs. It also includes reports related to MDB activities prepared by NGOs.
Some civil society analysis on this topic can be found at the International POPs Elimination Network website, www.ipen.org. Information in Russian can be found at the Eco-Accord website, http://accord.cis.lead.org/News2003/1008.htm.
World Bank Group Extractive Industries Review (EIR) has released its final report. The Extractive Industries Review was launched by the World Bank Group to discuss the Bank’s future role in the extractive industries with concerned stakeholders. The aim of this independent review was to produce a set of recommendations that will guide involvement of the World Bank Group in the oil, gas and mining sectors. The full report in English and the Executive Summary in Russian along with civil society comments can be found on the EIR website at www.eir.org.
IV. CONSULTATIONS
The MDBs are also soliciting feedback on a variety of policy proposals. This information is provided to alert potentially interested stakeholders to the consultations, but does not necessarily represent an endorsement of participation in those processes.
Development Partnership Agreement (Country Assistance Strategy) for Kazakhstan
The World Bank Group jointly with the Government of Kazakhstan are preparing a Development Partnership Agreement (DPA) (formerly known as a Country Assistance Strategy, CAS), which will outline the World Bank’s role in Kazakhstan for the next 3-5 years. The World Bank is conducting an opinion poll about their involvement in Kazakhstan and will hold public consultations. The World Bank’s information can be found at http://www.worldbank.org.kz/ECA/Kazakhstan.nsf/ECADocByUnid2ndLanguage/A2935BD00F56594AC6256DF8003F1440?Opendocument.
BIC has also prepared the briefing:
ADB Disclosure & Information Policy Consultations
The ADB is reviewing its 1994 Policy on Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information (Disclosure Policy) and the complementary Information Policy and Strategy of ADB (Information Policy), and expects to submit a new policy paper to ADB's Board of Directors during the first half 2004. According to the ADB, between March and May 2004, ADB staff will discuss the draft with stakeholders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in at least 11 ADB member countries. One of the workshops will be held in Central Asia but is yet to be scheduled. Go to http://www.adb.org/Disclosure/workshop_schedule.asp for more information. Civil society comments on the current policy can be read at http://www.adb.org/Disclosure/external.asp.
The Bank Information Center (BIC) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides information and strategic support to NGOs and social movements throughout the world on the projects, policies, and practices of the World Bank and other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). BIC’s mission is to empower citizens in developing countries to influence MDB-financed operations and policies in a manner that fosters social justice and ecological sustainability. BIC aims to democratize MDBs to ensure citizen participation, information disclosure, full adherence to environmental and social policies, and public accountability. BIC is supported by private foundations and organizations that work in the fields of environment and development. BIC is not affiliated with any of the MDBs, nor does it receive any funding from them.
For further information, contact:
Karen Decker, Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator
email:
website: http://www.bicusa.org