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Accountability Matters

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Newsletter | April 2024

Welcome to the April 2024 issue of Accountability Matters. 

Everybody’s talkin’… about AI. But what does this mean for the World Bank’s development goals, and for accountability within development projects? In this issue, we cast a critical eye over the potential of AI. Our primary concern in applying the new technologies will always be for the communities affected, because the work of accountability is for them. In focusing on the needs of community, we are in full agreement with the new executive director of Accountability Counsel, Margaux Day, who we interviewed for this issue. We have always been inspired by the work of Margaux and her colleagues at Accountability Counsel, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen accountability within our respective mandates.

I am also delighted to take this opportunity to welcome Evelyn Dietsche as a new member of the Inspection Panel. Evelyn will be serving a term of five years. We wish her all the best and look forward to her contributions to the vital work of accountability.

Finally, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings will be taking place this year from April 15-20 – here’s to productive discussions for all participants!

We hope you enjoy this edition of Accountability Matters. Please let us know if you have any comments or story ideas for the newsletter at accountability@worldbank.org.  

Orsolya Székely
Accountability Mechanism Secretary

STORIES

Developing AI for development

Featured Story

Apr 09, 2024

Is AI intelligent enough to serve vulnerable communities?

"We are seeking community-led accountability”

Interview

Apr 09, 2024

Margaux Day, the new executive director of Accountability Counsel, sets out her vision for accountability in development

Reporting accountability

Publications

Apr 09, 2024

A round-up of the latest knowledge products from the world of accountability

News

Evelyn Dietsche became a Member of the Inspection Panel, effective April 8, 2024.
IFC Board approves Action Plan in response to CAO investigation related to IFC’s investment in Bridge International Academies in Kenya.
The Board approved the Inspection Panel’s recommendation to investigate the Vietnam Coastal Cities Project. Following the AM Secretary’s offer, the parties in Vietnam Coastal Cities Project have now agreed to pursue Dispute Resolution.
Inspection Panel Round Table on the Bank-financed West Africa Coastal Areas Resilient Investment Project in Togo [video] and related non-technical summary of the Panel’s investigation.
Panel Chairperson Mark Goldsmith gave a presentation at the Overseas Development Institute on multilateral development banks, accountability, and the Just Transition.

Events

The Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and IMF are happening from April 15-20, 2024 in Washington, DC. Click here for updates. The Civil Society Policy Forum will take place from April 17-19, 2024, also in Washington, DC.
The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) will hold its 2024 conference in Dublin, Ireland, from April 24-27. The theme of this year’s conference is a Just Transformation. The Inspection Panel will jointly present a session entitled ‘Accountability, impact assessment and their capacity to transform reality at the project level’, along with the following accountability mechanisms: Independent Resource Mechanism (African Development Bank), Accountability Mechanism (Asian Development Bank), Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (IFC), Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (Inter-American Development Bank), and Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (European Development Bank).
Looking further in the future, IAMnet Annual Meetings will take place in Manila, Philippines, October 1-4, 2024.

Job Openings

Case Associate at Independent Redress Mechanism of Green Climate Fund (IRM-GCF)

Location: Incheon, South Korea (ICN), KR

Deadline: April 23, 2024 (11:59 PM KST)

Please send news, events, and jobs in the accountability field to obolvaran@worldbank.org.

Accountability Matters Editorial Team

Oriana Karina Bolvaran, Jennine Meyer, Yoshiko Ogushi, Orla Said, and Rabi Thapa

Follow us

The World Bank Accountability Mechanism houses the Inspection Panel and the Dispute Resolution Service.

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