Policies on Cross Cutting Issues

Abstract: The Boards of Directors, on March 19, 2008, approved a new policy on expenditures eligibility for Bank Group financing (Board Document ADB/BD/WP/2007/106/Rev.2 and ADF/BD/WP/2007/72/Rev.2). The objective of the new policy is to strengthen the Bank's focus on results through greater alignment of the expenditure eligibility policy on the development priorities of regional member countries (RMC). The new policy also seeks to tailor expenditure eligibility to the specific context of each RMC through the introduction of Country Financing Parameters (CFPs). CFPs provide a framework for determining eligibility of expenditure in each RMC taking into account issues such as the quality of its fiduciary environment, commitment to its development program, productivity of the expenditure, and macroeconomic situation. Overall, Regional Departments will lead the process of developing and disseminating CFPs, in close collaboration with the World Bank. However, towards reducing transactions costs in implementing the new policy, the Boards agreed that Management collaborates closely with the World Bank, including using the CFPs already prepared by this institution pour 38 pays. These CFPs are related to cost sharing/counterpart funds, taxes and duties, recurrent costs and local currency costs.

Abstract: This Bank Group’s Gender Policy defines the commitment of the African Development Bank (the Bank) to promote gender mainstreaming as a means of fostering poverty reduction, economic development and gender equality on the continent. The policy elaborates the key concepts and approaches that support gender and development issues and seeks to provide, among other things, a requisite framework for action, which will ensure equal access to women and men of all Bank resources and opportunities. It also contains a summary of the evolution in perspectives and practices designed to integrate gender/women into the development process that have taken place in the last thirty years. The policy outlines both institutional and operational strategies to be used in its implementation.

Abstract: The Environmental Policy sets out the broad strategic and policy framework under which all Bank Group lending and non-lending operations will be made to promote environmentally sustainable development in Africa. Its overall goals are two-fold: firstly, to help improve the quality of life of the people of Africa; and secondly, to help preserve and enhance the ecological capital and life-support systems across the continent of Africa. The development of the policy has been driven by a number of factors, including: the recognition and acceptance of sustainable development as the dominant development paradigm for the 21st century; the need for a greater focus on pro-poor growth policies and programs to counter unacceptable impoverishment rates; the rapid progress in the inevitable integration of Africa in the globalization process; and the need for an improved governance with a clearer commitment of the majority of African governments to provide the necessary leadership for sustainable development. The policy recognizes the considerable constraints facing Africa, but also its endowment with minerals, rich flora and fauna as well as large tracts of rainforest. To help implement the policy, the Bank will leverage the considerable progress made in developing appropriate tools for effective mainstreaming of environmental sustainability issues in its operations. This includes using a set of approaches and developing/strengthening procedures and guidelines, with particular focus on the full enforcement of the Environmental and Social Assessment Procedures for all lending operations of the Bank.