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World Bank approves Panel’s recommendation related to the Colombia: Bogotá Urban Services Project Request

World Bank Board of Executive Directors approves Panel’s Report and Recommendation on a Request for Inspection related to the Colombia: Bogotá Urban Services Project Request

February 8, 2008 - On January 23, 2008, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved, on a non-objection basis, the Inspection Panel’s Report and Recommendation on a Request for Inspection related to the Colombia: Bogotá Urban Services Project (IBRD Loan No. 71620-CO). The Panel received the Request for Inspection on October 30, 2007, signed by eight of the affected people, and registered the Request on October 31, 2007.

The Project aims to improve the urban living conditions in Bogotá by increasing access, coverage, quality, reliability and inter-agency coordination in the provision of public transport, sanitation and potable water. According to Project documents, these objectives are to be achieved through, among other actions, investments in transport, water and sewerage infrastructure, environmental improvements and community development activities. The Project is financed by an IBRD loan of $100 million and guaranteed by the Republic of Colombia.

The Request specifically relates to the construction of Suba Avenue for the operation of the TransMilenio Mass Transit System. The Requesters claim that they have been adversely affected by the Suba Avenue construction. They claim that the Project implementation agency has ignored their situation and failed to implement measures agreed upon with the Bank to restore their livelihoods and incomes to at least the same level as existed before construction commenced. They claim that as a result of the Project they have suffered permanent losses which have yet to be compensated. The Requesters additionally claim that the Project has resulted in certain adverse environmental impacts, which are also affecting their lives.

After reviewing the eligibility of the Request for Inspection and Bank Management Response to the Request, and visiting the Project area, the Panel determined that while the Requesters were otherwise eligible to submit a Request for Inspection, the procedural criterion of paragraph 9(c) of the Clarifications of the Board’s Second Review of the Inspection Panel of April 1999 had not been fully met. This criteria requires that the Requesters have brought the “subject matter ... to Management’s attention and that, in the requester’s view, Management has failed to respond adequately demonstrating that it has followed or is taking steps to follow the Bank’s policies and procedures.” The Panel concluded that it cannot make a recommendation on whether to investigate the subject matter of the Request for Inspection unless this requirement has been met.

The Panel’s Eligibility Report and Recommendation, the Request for Inspection and the Management Response are available in the Panel’s website atwww.inspectionpanel.org. For additional information about the Inspection Panel, please contact the Panel’s Secretariat atipanel@worldbank.org or at Tel. 1(202) 458-5200.