Inspection Panel Launches New Publication at 2009 Annual Meetings in Istanbul

Book Launch Press Release.pdf

Washington, DC, October 30, 2009: The World Bank Inspection Panel launched its newest publication “Accountability at the World Bank: the Inspection Panel at 15 Years” at the 2009 World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Istanbul.

L to R: Mr. Kiende, Mr. Kvasor, Ms. Barlas, Mr. Carey, Mr. Lenton, Mr. Lallas at Launch Event.

This publication, which also features the Panel’s 2008-2009 Annual Report, documents the evolution of the Panel since its establishment in 1993 and its major innovations over the years. The World Bank Executive Director for the Russian Federation and Dean of the Board Mr. Alexey Kvasov was a featured speaker at the event along with Mr. Richard Carey, Director of the Development Cooperation Directorate of the OECD Development Assistance Committee. Dean Kvasov remarked “Dean Kvasov Speech"that the Panel’s activities were even more relevant today than fifteen years ago when the Panel was created, and that the global financial crisis has again confirmed the crucial need for transparency, accountability, and responding to problems at an early stage. As an instrument of the Board, he said, the Panel enables the

Board to more effectively discharge its governance responsibilities, and helps the Board stay in touch with the reality on the ground. Mr. Kvasov commended the Inspection Panel for its important contributions in contributing to sustainable and equitable development, lessons learned, and public accountability, and concluded that “the Bank is a better development institution because of it.” Panel Chairperson Werner Kiene, Panel Member Roberto Lenton, and members of the Secretariat welcomed guests, which included other representatives of the Bank’s Board, Bank Management, and civil society. An electronic version of the Panel publication launched at this event is found here “Inspection Panel at 15 Years”.

The Inspection Panel also co-hosted an outreach event at the Annual Meetings, together with the Bank Information Center (BIC) and the IFC/MIGA Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO). Entitled “Promoting Accountability at the World Bank Group: Experiences of the World Bank Inspection Panel and the IFC-MIGA Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman”, the event helped increase awareness about, and considered questions regarding, the Bank Group’s accountability mechanisms, namely the Inspection Panel and the CAO. The well-attended gathering heard presentations by Meg Taylor (IFC-MIGA CAO) and Werner Kiene (Chairperson, WB Inspection Panel) in a session moderated by Chad Dobson (Executive Director, BIC).

L to R: Mr. Dobson, Mr. Kiene, Ms. Taylor at outreach event in Istanbul