News & Visuals

New Independent Inspection Panel Office Opens

​WASHINGTON, D.C. September 7, 1994 - The independent Inspection Panel today officially opened its office in Washington D.C. The Panel, which was established by the Executive Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association (the "Bank") will receive and investigate complaints from parties who believe that Bank-financed projects may materially harm their rights and interests because the Bank has not followed its own policies and procedures.

A complaint may be made by filing a Request for Inspection. A Request can only be filed by a group of people who believe they have been adversely affected by a failure of the Bank to follow its own rules and procedures during the design or appraisal or implementation of a Bank-financed project. An Executive Director may also file a Request. Before filing a request those adversely affected must establish that they have already tried to resolve the problem with the Bank and explain why they are not satisfied with the solutions proposed by Bank management. The Panel has adopted and published today, Operating Procedures to provide guidance on how to file a Request and to explain how the Request will be processed.

The Panel has three members appointed by the Executive Directors on the basis of their professional qualifications and independence from Bank operations as well as their knowledge and experience in the development field. The first Chairman of the Panel, Mr. Ernst-Günther Bröder has taken up his duties full-time. The two part-time Panel members, Messrs. Richard E. Bissell and Alvaro Umaña Quesada are linked to the office by rapid communications systems.

The President of the Bank in consultation with the Executive Directors has appointed Mr. Eduardo G. Abbott, a lawyer, to serve as Executive Secretary. In consultation with the Chairman, the Executive Secretary has selected one Acting Assistant and two support staff to assist in the establishment and initial operation of the Secretariat.