CRMU Supports information dissemination on IRM in Kenya

Nairobi, November 23, 2007 - The Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU) participated on 23 November 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya, to a workshop organized by two  Kenyan NGOs’  on " the Role of NGOs in Dissemination of Information about International Accountability and IRM: the Example of the African Development Bank".  The two Kenya NGOs:  Kenya Youth Education and Community Program (KYCEP) and Global Call Against Poverty (GCAP), were supported by Action  Aid, an international NGO present in Kenya. The workshop, attended by government institutions, NGOs, representative of national associations, gave an overview of the scope, functions and the expected outcome of the African Development Bank  IRM.  It contributed to sensitize participants on the  IRM and the opportunity it provides to communities adversely affected by a Bank Group financed project to present their grievances to the Bank and to request it  to comply with its own policies and procedures. Mr. E. P. Sovik, Director CRMU, gave a comprehensive presentation on the AfDB Independent Review Mechanism. Communities and Civil Society learned also a little more about the Bank’s operations in Kenya and their implication on the environment, as presented by the Resident Representative  KEFO, who took  part  to the workshop. 

CRMU counterpart mechanisms, namely the World Bank Inspection Panel, the IFC Compliance Adviser/Ombudsman and OPIC participated also in the workshop and shared their experiences.