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Accountability Matters

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Newsletter | December 2025

Welcome to the December issue of Accountability Matters—the last one of the year. 

This issue features an interview with Ajay Achyutrao Deshpande, who joined the Inspection Panel as a Panel member in March this year, with a particular focus on his work on environmental and climate-related issues. We then delve into a topic addressed during the recent IAMnet Annual Meetings in Barbados, on how dispute resolution processes take account of Environmental and Social standards across IAMs. Such discussions remind us how important it is for practitioners to exchange news and views on a regular basis. We also provide coverage of the final accountability-related publications of the year.

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

“Protecting the environment and ensuring accountability will improve the Bank’s effectiveness…they are the cornerstones of the Bank’s success.”

Ajay Deshpande, Panel Member, World Bank Inspection Panel

Interview

Dec 16, 2025

An interview with Ajay Deshpande, Member, Inspection Panel, World Bank

The World Bank Dispute Resolution Service meeting with members of the community in Nepal.

Feature Story

Dec 16, 2025

In the shade of the E&S tree: dispute resolution at independent accountability mechanisms

Publication

Dec 16, 2025

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

The Inspection Panel and the Dispute Resolution Service issued updated Operating Procedures.
The Inspection Panel released its Annual Reports for FY23, FY24, and FY25.
The Dispute Resolution Service released its Annual Report for FY25.
The Inspection Panel and the Compliance Review Panel of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a Framework Agreement for processing complaints related to projects under the ADB-WB Full Mutual Reliance Framework (FMRF).
The Inspection Panel Registered a Request for Inspection related to Mozambique: Cyclone Idai & Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project
The Inspection Panel Registered a Request for Inspection on the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development Project in Uganda.
The Dispute Resolution Service issued a Follow-up Report on the Second Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP-2) in Uganda.
Head of DRS Orsolya Székely delivered the annual Singapore Mediation Lecture.

Orsolya Székely, Head of the World Bank Dispute Resolution Service, delivered the Singapore Mediation Lecture 2025.

Job Openings

Dispute Resolution Officer, Complaints Mechanism Division, European Investment Bank
Location: Luxembourg
Deadline: January 12, 2026
Intern, Independent Redress Mechanism, Green Climate Fund
Location: Incheon, Korea
Deadline: January 3, 2026

Accountability Matters Editorial Team

Jennine Meyer, Rabi Thapa and Robert Doherty

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