ADB agrees to NGO demand for second draft of Safeguard Policy Update

13 May 2008 | Washington, DC

After ignoring civil society demands that called for a halt to public consultations, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has finally agreed to issue an additional draft and consultation. The announcement comes a week before the Asian Development Fund (ADF) replenishment wrap-up, and ADB watchers believe the concession was made after the U.S. tied its ADF contribution to a satisfactory resolution of the review.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on April 23 that it would take "additional steps" in the on-going review of its three safeguards policies. The announcement, which came at the conclusion of 13 consultation workshops and prior to the wrap-up of the Asian Development Fund (ADF) negotiations, stated:

“In order for the new safeguard policy to be responsive to a wide range of views, ADB Management has decided to introduce an additional step and we will prepare a second draft of the safeguard policy statement, based on the feedback and advice we have received through our extensive consultations.”

Informed observers believe pressure from ADF donors, especially the United States, paved the way for a second draft and another consultation; previously the ADB had informed NGOs that it considered the first draft a "useful basis" for consultation and had no plans to issue another iteration. 

While this is a welcome development, the process by which the second draft is developed is vitally important as is its content. NGOs will be keeping a close eye on how this process unfolds.

Additional resources

ADB to Take New Steps in Safeguard Policy Update after Worldwide Consultations, Asian Development Bank, Press Release, April 23, 2008 (ADB website)

Asian Development Fund (ADF website)

Bank Information Center's ADB Safeguard Policy Upate page (BIC website)