Independent Review Mechanism

Purpose

To provide people adversely affected by a project financed by the Bank Group with an independent mechanism through which they can request the Bank Group to comply with its own policies and procedures.

Mandate

The establishment of the IRM was approved by the Boards of Directors of the Bank Group on 30 June 2004. The IRM handles requests through two functions: Compliance Review and Mediation (problem solving). For Public Sector projects, the IRM can review compliance with all Bank Group operational policies and procedures. For the Private Sector, compliance reviews shall only be undertaken for social and environment policies.

Operating Rules and Procedures of the mechanism were approved by the Boards of Directors in July 2006 and revised in June, 2010.

Staffing and Set-up

The Mechanism comprises the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU) and the Roster of Experts.

Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU)

The CRMU is headed by a Director assisted by Compliance Officers and administrative support staff. The Director reports administratively to the President and functionally to the Boards of Directors for projects approved by the Boards, and to the President for projects under consideration for financing.

Roster of Experts

The Roster of Experts comprises 3 external experts, appointed by the Boards of Directors for a five-year non-renewable term. The Experts together with the Director of CRMU determine eligibility of request(s) for compliance review, and submit their eligibility report, recommending whether or not to undertake the compliance review, to the Boards of Directors or to the President, as the case may be for project’s status of approval. For authorized Compliance Reviews, the three Experts will undertake the compliance review as members of the Compliance Review Panels.

Consultants

Consultants may be hired occasionally to assist CRMU and the Compliance Review Panels with investigations and fact finding missions. Consultants with experience in compliance review send their applications for such assignments to the CRMU, or register themselves in DACON.

DACON is a database of Individual Consultants and Consulting Firms maintained by the African Development Bank Group. Register now !

NGOs/CSOs

CRMU collaborates with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to disseminate information about the Independent Review Mechanism, including its mandate and procedures , and counts on NGOs in transferring information about the IRM Rules relating to the submission of requests to CRMU for Compliance Review and/or Mediation.