World Bank Board Agrees to Action Plan for Itaparica Resettlement and Irrigation Project
Contact: Eduardo Abbott (202) 458-2617
WASHINGTON, September 10, 1997-The World Bank's Board of Directors yesterday agreed that the Bank should supervise the implementation of an Action Plan proposed by the Government of Brazil which completes and extends the benefits of the Itaparica Resettlement and Irrigation Project. The project, partly supported by $232 million in World Bank financing, seeks to benefit people relocated as a result of construction of the Itaparica Hydroelectric dam (not financed by the World Bank) on the São Francisco River, at the border between Brazil's Bahia and Pernambuco states. The government's Action Plan requires the disbursement of an additional $290 million in government funds for purposes of the Project.
On March 19, 1997 a group of 121 individuals and the organization Pólo Sindical do Submédio São Francisco had filed a Request for Inspection of the Itaparica Resettlement and Irrigation Project by the independent Inspection Panel. They claimed that standards of living, health and economic-well being of people living in the project area had been adversely affected by delays in completion of the project. The Government of Brazil's Action Plan, based on the work of an inter-ministerial working group, would ensure completion of works providing productive infrastructure and technical assistance to resettlers. In reaching its decision, the Board took into account the Panel's recommendation that an investigation take place. It also noted an ongoing multi-country study by the World Bank's Operations Evaluation Department which includes the Itaparica project as one of its cases.
In his concluding remarks the Chairman thanked the Inspection Panel for its work. He concluded that, although a slight majority did not favor authorizing an investigation, the Executive Directors agreed that the Bank should help supervise the implementation of the Action Plan, as requested by the Government of Brazil. It was also agreed that the Board review progress in this regard in 12 months and invite the Inspection Panel to assist in that review, taking into account the findings of the ongoing OED study of the project when available.
About the Inspection Panel
The independent Inspection Panel was established by the Executive Directors in September 1993 to help ensure that Bank operations adhere to the institution's policies and procedures. Its establishment now enables any group of individuals-who consider they may or might be harmed by Bank-supported projects-to ask the Panel to investigate their complaints that the Bank has failed to abide by its policies and procedures.
Detailed guidance for filing requests is provided in the Panel's Operating Procedures. These are available from the Panel's office in Washington, DC, the Bank's Bookstore, and the Public Information Center in Washington, DC, the Bank's offices in London, Paris, and Tokyo, field offices, and on Internet
(http://www.worldbank.org/html/ins-panel/INS-PANEL.html).
Copies of the Inspection Panel Report are available from the World Bank's Public Information Centers.
In Washington contact:
World Bank Public Information Center
1818 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20433
tel: (202) 458-5454; fax: (202) 522-1500
Copies of the Notice of Registration are available at the Bank's Public Information Center (Tel: (202) 458-5454) and on INTERNET through Inspection Panel, address:http://www.worldbank.org