The project aims to strengthen the capacity of civil society groups in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in understanding and influencing the World Bank and other international financial institutions (IFIs) involvement in their countries, including technical assistance, policy advice and project lending with focus on the hydroelectric sector. It aims to promote transparency and accountability in IFI involvement in the hydro-sector.
The Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan have abundant hydropower potential but continue to face energy shortages particularly during the winter. Water management is complicated by the fact that downstream countries Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan face the risk of flooding during the winter (when hydropower potential is needed most) and are dependent on the availability of water for irrigation in the summer (when hydropower potential needs to be conserved).
BIC sees an opportunity to strengthen local civil society capacity around one of the main actors involved in this sector, the World Bank Group. BIC believes that local groups would benefit from a clearer understanding of the Bank’s lending and policy advice that influence sector governance.
Three strategic components will underpin this project: (a) outreach, intelligence gathering, and information services, (b) capacity building and networking support, and (c) advocacy work. These strategies require our persistent engagement with civil society groups in the region so we can support their efforts to participate in and influence development decisions.
This page was last modified on November 11, 2009.