Consultations
In February 2004, the IDB put forward the following consultation plan:
- November/December 2003: Preparation and identification of consultation fora and events.
- March 2004: Beginning of consultation activities.
- October 2004: Consultation process concludes.
- November 2004: Meeting of indigenous advisory committee.
- December 2004: Strategic framework to the Administration’s Program Committee.
- March 2005: Strategic Framework to the Policy and Evaluation Committee of the Board of Directors.
Civil society groups are urging the IDB to take appropriate steps to ensure there is adequate widespread informed participation by indigenous peoples and other civil society groups in the consultation process. Representatives from Amazon Alliance and other indigenous organizations presented a letter to IDB management proposing specific minimum procedural steps necessary for a successful policy consultation. The process proposed in the letter (and endorsed by a wide range of indigenous representatives) contains clearly defined suggestions, including:
- The draft policy should be disseminated over a long time period.
- Country and regional consultation workshops should be held.
- Advisory committee meetings should be held.
- The process should include a final round of revisions.
- Half of the members of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (considered to be a joint drafting committee) should be self-selected by indigenous participants from the consultation workshop.
For more information, see the IDB's website:
IDB Indigenous Peoples Unit
The Inter-American Development Bank does not currently have an indigenous peoples safeguard policy. The IDB does have a small indigenous peoples unit that tries to promote development projects that will help indigenous communities within the framework of IDB lending. The IDB has carried out several interesting initiatives, most important of which is the Indigenous Peoples Fund, which it hosts.