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Accountability Matters

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Newsletter | August 2025

Welcome to the August issue of Accountability Matters.

Last year’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework called on public and private finance to step up, both in terms of boosting biodiversity finance, and in balancing nature-positive and rights-based development. We look at how this might impinge on accountability, and examine the role of independent accountability mechanisms, civil society, and communities in particular. We also feature an interview with David Hunter, who has recently retired after an illustrious career advocating for accountability and environmental sustainability at international financial institutions, with a focus on independent accountability mechanisms. We then take a more detailed look at the outreach event on dispute resolution in Kenya in June.

Look out for updates and coverage of the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in October in our next issue!

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 or ipanel@worldbank.org. 

Orsolya Székely Ibrahim Pam      

Head, Dispute Resolution Service Chairperson, Inspection Panel     

STORIES

"Independent Accountability Mechanisms represent a fundamentally different approach to development"

Interview

Aug 13, 2025

David Hunter discusses his career and the state of environmental and social accountability at international financial institutions

Feature Story

Aug 13, 2025

Letting communities speak for nature may be the best way to safeguard it

Dispute Resolution Service workshop in Kenya

Outreach

Aug 13, 2025

A joint outreach event in Kenya bolstered partnerships with CSOs from the region

A compilation of covers featured in the latest article on reporting accountability.

Publication

Aug 13, 2025

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

Panel Releases Non-Technical Summary of the Inspection Panel Investigation Report on the Tanzania REGROW Project
Conclusion of World Bank Dispute Resolution Process – Vietnam Coastal Cities Sustainable Environment Project
Lalanath de Silva became Executive Director of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
Gina Barbieri became Lead for the Stakeholder Response Mechanism at the United Nations Development Programme

Events

The IAMnet Annual Meetings will take place in Bridgetown, Barbados from October 6-9, 2025.
The 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund are scheduled to take place from October 13-18 this year.

Job Openings

Director of Strategy and Operations at the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Location: London, United Kingdom
Deadline: August 17, 2025

Accountability Matters Editorial Team

Jennine Meyer, Rabi Thapa and Robert Doherty

Follow us

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

The content of this newsletter is copyrighted. Requests to reproduce the newsletter, in whole or in part, should be addressed to accountability@worldbank.org. Your feedback is also welcome!