http://www.bicusa.org/en/Issue.47.aspx The latest news on World Bank Transparency Review from the Bank Information Center 10 http://www.infodev.org/images/infodev.gif http://www.bicusa.org/en/Issue.47.aspx The outgoing World Bank Country Manager for Brazil, Mahktar Diop, challenges the conclusions of an evaluation by Bank Information Center of the $1.3 billion Sustainable Environmental Management Development Policy to promote environmental reforms in Brazil. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12592.aspx Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:39:11 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12592.aspx The Make Aid Transparent Campaign, launched this summer, is looking to make an impact on the Aid Effectiveness forum in Busan, Korea this November. Please sign their petition calling for governments to make their aid transparent. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12546.aspx Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:08:17 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12546.aspx BIC has joined 106 other signatories on a letter to World Bank President Robert Zoellick requesting the Bank reinvigorate B-SPAN, the institution's webcasting station, with adequate funding. Until 2004, B-SPAN streamed hundreds of Bank policy dialogues, seminars and conferences to global audiences. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12536.aspx Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:53:41 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12536.aspx BIC presents a toolkit for civil society on how to access information at the World Bank. This resource was officially launched at the World Bank Annual Meetings in October 2010, and updated in July 2011 http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12148.aspx Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12148.aspx As Egypt's revolution continues to unfold, potential loans from international financial institutions have stoked intense debates. BIC's Amy Ekdawi writes that the fate of these loans must be contingent on open engagement with Egyptian civil society, not backroom deals. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12493.aspx Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:07:30 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12493.aspx A new article from independent consultant and former BIC staffer Rebecca Harris reports on transparency initiatives at the World Bank. Since the Bank adopted a new Access to Information policy in 2009, people worldwide have begun using this access to improve development outcomes. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12424.aspx Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:08:49 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12424.aspx After two years of negotiation, Publish What You Fund celebrates the finalization of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), stating "When everyone can see how much aid is being spent where, and on what, governments – whether giving or receiving aid – can be held accountable by their citizens for spending it well.” http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12354.aspx Wed, 09 Feb 2011 12:19:24 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12354.aspx As the World Bank sets out to review and update its Safeguard Policy framework over the next two years, the Operational Policy 8.60 governing the use of DPLs should be included in that review. This brief identifies five areas of DPL policy guidance that merit revision and could guide a full DPL evaluation. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12351.aspx Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:45:40 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12351.aspx Toby McIntosh reports on the World Bank Access to Information Committee stipulation that Bank staff, not the committee, will make decisions regarding the disclosure of documents less than five years old in cases of public interest. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12337.aspx Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:23:34 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12337.aspx The report details progress made since the policy's July 1st effective date as well as pre-implementation preparations. The report notes that prior to July 1st, the institution "released more than 17,000 documents and an additional 5,000 legal agreements, which were either restricted under the previous disclosure policy or not readily accessible." http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12322.aspx Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:36:07 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12322.aspx A BIC article detailing the first 99 days of the implementation of the World Bank's access to information policy is published by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank as part of their 2010 Annual Conference newsletter. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12307.aspx Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:19:41 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12307.aspx Under the World Bank's new Access to Information Policy, summaries of meetings of the Board of Directors are regularly released. A new FreedomInfo.org study, however, finds many summaries missing, and the ones that are released significantly shorter than summaries from before the new policy was passed. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12186.aspx Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:01:01 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12186.aspx The Huffington Post publishes a BIC article examining civil society and World Bank perspectives of the first 99 days of the implementation of the institution's Policy on Access to Information. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12184.aspx Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:58:54 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12184.aspx Matthew O. Berger of the Inter Press Service quotes BIC on the World Bank's new access to information policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12159.aspx Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:26:14 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12159.aspx NGOs challenge the institution at the 2010 Annual General Meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Washington, DC, October 6th through 10th. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12157.aspx Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:20:49 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12157.aspx BIC highlights the work of Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, a rights-based activist organization in Bangladesh. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12156.aspx Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:03:12 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12156.aspx In an effort to influence the outcome of an August 31st World Bank Board of Executive Directors' meeting where the Board planned to discuss Lebanon's new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), a group of Lebanese CSOs submitted a letter to the Board expressing their concerns with the the CPS and the process through which it was prepared. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12123.aspx Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:06:07 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12123.aspx It is one thing for the World Bank to promote a discourse of transparency and information disclosure and quite another to commit to being a public finance institution that respects all of the rights of people affected by the projects which they finance. Unfortunately, the Bank has not been willing to make this commitment. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12077.aspx Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:53:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12077.aspx Little over a month after the Access to Information Policy came into effect, the first few documents to be released through the "simultaneous disclosure" clause are trickling out of the Bank. The implications of such releases, however, have yet to be seen. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12075.aspx Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:27:25 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.12075.aspx MEXICO CITY, Jul 5, 2010 (IPS) - Non-governmental organizations from across the Americas are demanding that the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank institute policies that favor sustainable energy and help mitigate climate change. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11964.aspx Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:43:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11964.aspx BIC and partners convene at the World Bank to celebrate the implementation of the Bank's revised access to information policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11936.aspx Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11936.aspx The Access to Information Working Group is finishing up its preparations for the July 1 launch of the new policy. Though the policy was approved in December, AIWG has been working for 6 months to train staff and create guides for the new policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11909.aspx Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:45:14 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11909.aspx Writing for the International Budget Partnership newsletter, Amy explains the origins of the revised policy, its strengths and weaknesses, and the role civil society is playing as it is implemented over the first half of 2010. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11848.aspx Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:02:07 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11848.aspx The World Bank Access to Information Working Group and its seven subgroups will provide information about how the policy is being implemented, encouraging civil society to monitor and help. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11844.aspx Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:57:44 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11844.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11842.aspx Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:47:47 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11842.aspx BIC consultant, Bruce Jenkins publishes report examining gaps and gains in the World Bank's revised information disclosure policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11826.aspx Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:35:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11826.aspx BIC highlights the work of Sergei Vorsin of Tajikistan's Taraqqiet Development Centre. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11825.aspx Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:24:57 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11825.aspx The proposed capital increases for the World Bank and IFC would expand their size without expanding the scope of their reform. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx The staff of Senator Richard Lugar released a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations calling for reform of the IFIs before Congress approves upcoming capital replenishment requests for the institutions. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:10:34 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx On January 27, 2010, BIC's MENA Program Manager, Amy Ekdawi spoke at a workshop organized by the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union's Lebanon Budget Project (LBP) which was geared towards educating Lebanese civil society groups on the World Bank's involvement in Lebanon and how to participate in the Bank's decision making process. This workshop was part of LBP's broader mandate to encourage citizen participation in the design of the Lebanese budget. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11751.aspx Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:47:13 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11751.aspx In December, the Bank's civil society team released "World Bank – Civil Society Engagement: Review of Fiscal Years 2007 – 2009", and hosted a discussion of the publication in Washington, DC. BIC founder and Executive Director Chad Dobson participated as commenter, noting both the Bank's improvements and continuing obstacles to civil society engagement. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11703.aspx Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:27:32 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11703.aspx The World Bank released the final adopted version of "Toward Greater Transparency Through Access to Information: The World Bank’s Disclosure Policy," effective date 1 July 2010. The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) congratulates the World Bank for the significant improvements of the new policy over its predecessor and looks forward to policy implementation. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11700.aspx Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:44:39 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11700.aspx In 2009, Development Policy Operations increased dramatically as a percentage of overall World Bank lending, from an average of about 33% to over 50%. Dogged by concerns that stem from a lack of a strong set of safeguard policies or clear results, this shift to greater dependence on DPLs/DPOs raises concerns about arbitrage by Bank clients to soften or avoid transparency and accountability commitments. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11612.aspx Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:24:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11612.aspx The World Bank is quietly preparing the first capital increase in nearly 20 years to replenish the coffers after unprecedented lending in 2008 and the coming two years. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11608.aspx Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:13:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11608.aspx The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) released its analysis of the World Bank’s new draft disclosure policy, Toward Greater Transparency Through Access to Information: The World Bank’s Disclosure Policy. GTI found that despite gains in access to information, significant policy weaknesses remain. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11602.aspx Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:20:17 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11602.aspx The Financial Times printed a letter to the editor by Karin Lissakers of Revenue Watch Institute and Peter Rosenblum of Columbia University regarding an October 13 editorial, "Hazards of mining". The letter argues that a culture of secrecy in the Mining industry has undermined its development potential. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11546.aspx Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:45:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11546.aspx The new draft was completed based on public consultations in 33 member countries and online comments. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11517.aspx Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:30:02 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11517.aspx The World Bank/IMF Annual General Meetings in Istanbul October 2-7th provide a window of opportunity for civil society to impact ongoing policy reviews. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11502.aspx Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:41:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11502.aspx The full committee hearing addressed the 2009 World Bank Disclosure Policy Review and the role of civil society participation in achieving successful development outcomes. BIC board member, Richard Bissell testified. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11480.aspx Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:52:58 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11480.aspx The World Bank is preparing to complete its disclosure policy review by late October 2009. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11481.aspx Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11481.aspx BIC Board Director Richard Bissell testified alongside other IFI experts about access to information at the World Bank during a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee. Chairman Barney Frank stated his intention to withhold any further money for the Bank until the suggestions of the panel were incorporated into policy http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11464.aspx Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:49:36 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11464.aspx This article discusses the changing relationship between the Bank and Brazil within the context of a new $1.3 billion Development Policy Loan. It includes a review of the background and concerns associated with development policy lending since 2004, and then offers a detailed analysis of the Brazilian Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) DPL. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11453.aspx Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:05:34 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11453.aspx The full committee hearing addressed the 2009 World Bank Disclosure Policy Review and the role of civil society participation in achieving successful development outcomes. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11448.aspx Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:53:23 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11448.aspx William Easterly, NYU Professor of Economics and independent voice in international development brings attention to the World Bank's problematic policies on translation. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11294.aspx Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:20:09 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11294.aspx Read a BIC opinion piece from the FP blog, The Argument, explaining why the World Bank must reconsider its current policies on translation and information disclosure in order to promote substantive civil society engagement. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11281.aspx Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:38:35 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11281.aspx BIC highlights the work of Yahya Saleh Mohsen of the Yemen Observatory for Human Rights. Yahya played an instrumental role in bringing a case to the World Bank Inspection Panel involving the Bank's translation policies in Yemen and beyond. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11280.aspx Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:43:56 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11280.aspx The Huffington Post publishes a BIC Op-Ed contrasting the innovative transparency efforts of the Obama Administration with those of the World Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11271.aspx Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:08:29 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11271.aspx An airport expansion project in Cambodia is drawing strong criticism from NGOs and families facing eviction. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11261.aspx Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:14:23 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11261.aspx The meeting took place during the Inspection Panel's trip to Sana'a to determine the eligibility of a complaint about Yemeni civil society's inability to access a translation of a key Bank document. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11257.aspx Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:20:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11257.aspx 1.5 years after the Yemen Observatory for Human Rights first requested a translation of the World Bank's 2008 Development Policy Loan for Yemen, the Bank has finally made this translation available. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11253.aspx Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:16:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11253.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11250.aspx Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:03:43 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11250.aspx Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) develops a model of transparency for the World Bank to use as a reference during its information disclosure policy review http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11213.aspx Wed, 27 May 2009 12:12:52 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11213.aspx A freedominfo.org examination of World Bank board minutes versus summaries further strengthens the case for improved access to information at the Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11212.aspx Wed, 27 May 2009 11:19:47 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11212.aspx The deadline to submit comments online for the World Bank's disclosure policy "Approach Paper" has been extended until June 5th. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11211.aspx Wed, 27 May 2009 10:29:51 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11211.aspx Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) comments on the World Bank‟s Transparency Approach Paper http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11210.aspx Tue, 26 May 2009 11:17:46 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11210.aspx A consortium of civil society representatives met to discuss access to information at the World Bank in Bangladesh on May 20th. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11198.aspx Fri, 22 May 2009 11:38:28 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11198.aspx Yemeni group files complaint with the World Bank's Inspection Panel and now change might already be in the air? http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11188.aspx Wed, 20 May 2009 17:29:35 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11188.aspx While the deadline to submit comments online for the World Bank's disclosure policy "Approach Paper" is this Friday, remaining in-person consultations will take place as planned and all comments provided at the consultations will be noted. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11186.aspx Wed, 20 May 2009 11:27:54 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11186.aspx Read BIC's memo on World Bank Board transparency that has been sent to the U.S. Treasury, World Bank staff, and the office of the United States Executive Director at the World Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11170.aspx Tue, 12 May 2009 10:14:17 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11170.aspx BIC and partner NGOs sound off on the Bank's disclosure policy at this year's Spring Meetings http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11131.aspx Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11131.aspx The World Bank's Inspection Panel Annual Report highlights the problem of access to information within several World Bank-financed projects. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11138.aspx Mon, 04 May 2009 14:42:12 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11138.aspx Yemeni civil society group take their complaint regarding the World Bank's refusal to translate a key program document, to the Inspection Panel http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11116.aspx Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:21:14 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11116.aspx The Huffington Post publishes a BIC Op-Ed that urges the World Bank to adopt a modern information disclosure policy. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11114.aspx Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:20:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11114.aspx http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11096.aspx Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:36:27 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11096.aspx Read correspondence between the Bank Information Center and the World Bank regarding the Bank's review of its Policy on Disclosure of Information. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11094.aspx Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:49:43 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11094.aspx This update provides an analysis of the World Bank's Approach Paper entitled "Toward Greater Transparency: Rethinking the World Bank's Disclosure Policy", which was recently released. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11095.aspx Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11095.aspx The workshop discussed the World Bank’s Disclosure Policy Review, and introduced the World Bank’s Inspection Panel to our regional partners. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11093.aspx Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:30:04 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11093.aspx BIC and FUNDAR (Mexico) are jointly organizing a workshop for the civil society of Mesoamerica in order to deepen their knowledge and plan for effecting change at the World Bank. The workshop will take place April 20th in Mexico City, the day before the World Bank's official consultation about their disclosure policy. Please read the document (in Spanish) linked below for information about participating in the workshop. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11091.aspx Fri, 03 Apr 2009 10:29:08 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11091.aspx The World Bank launched the review of its information disclosure policy on Friday, March 13th with the public release of an Approach Paper. BIC and partners argue the case for greater transparency in Bank procedures. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11071.aspx Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:07:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11071.aspx Read the latest information on World Bank and civil society events organized around the upcoming World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings and how to get involved. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11070.aspx Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:17:11 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11070.aspx As the World Bank launches a review of its policy on access to information, the Global Transparency Initiative will track the review process and provide analytical support to civil society groups concerned with transparency standards at the Bank. http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11062.aspx Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11062.aspx World Bank publicly launches review of its Disclosure Policy http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11069.aspx Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11069.aspx