Accountability of the Multilateral Development Banks

Examining the Independent Grievance Mechanisms of the Banks

 
 
Susan Park, University of Sydney, International Relations, Multilateral Development Banks Research

Project Aims and Goals

In 1993 the World Bank created its Inspection Panel to investigate whether the Bank had caused environmental and social harm to communities while financing development projects. Within a decade the African, Asian, Inter-American Development Banks and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development had followed suit.

This research project investigates why the mechanisms were created, why they continue to be reformulated, and whether they impact on the Banks work and provide recourse to project affected people.

The research for the project has concluded and the results are now being disseminated.

Database: Claims Submitted to the Multilateral Development Bank Accountability Mechanisms 1994-2020


This 2020 podcast for the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) discusses addressing social and environmental harm through global governance, with a particular focus on the Asian Development Bank.

As instruments of global governance, Multilateral Development Banks were created to lend developing states capital for economic growth and development that they could not access from private capital markets. Despite their positive aims, these international organisations have often come under fire and received harsh criticism for their lending practices on economic, political, environmental, and human rights grounds. In particular, the Banks have been the focus of attention for being unaccountable for their actions.

Professor Susan Park chats with Dr Natali Pearson about global governance and Multilateral Development Banks, with a specific focus on accountability mechanisms in the Asian Development Bank.

As instruments of global governance, Multilateral Development Banks were created to lend developing states capital for economic growth and development that they could not access from private capital markets. Despite their positive aims, these international organisations have often come under fire and received harsh criticism for their lending practices on economic, political, environmental, and human rights grounds. In particular, the Banks have been the focus of attention for being unaccountable for their actions. Professor Susan Park chats with Dr Natali Pearson about global governance and Multilateral Development Banks, with a specific focus on accountability mechanisms in the Asian Development Bank. About Professor Susan Park: Susan Park is Professor of Global Governance at the University of Sydney. She focuses on how state and non-state actors use formal and informal influence to make the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) greener and more accountable. Susan has published in numerous journals, most recently in the Review of International Political Economy. Her forthcoming book is 'Addressing Environmental and Social Harm through the Independent Accountability Mechanisms of the Multilateral Development Banks' (Cambridge University Press, 2020). In 2018, Susan published 'International Organisations and Global Problems: Theories and Explanations (Cambridge University Press, 2018). In 2010, she published 'The World Bank Group and Environmentalists: Changing International Organisation Identities' (Manchester University Press). Susan has co-edited special editions and books including 'Global Environmental Governance and the Accountability Trap' (MIT Press, 2019, with Teresa Kramarz) and 'Owning Development'(Cambridge, 2010, with Antje Vetterlein). Susan is an Associate Editor of the journal Global Environmental Politics and is Co-Convenor with Dr Teresa Kramarz (University of Toronto) of the Earth Systems Governance (ESG) Task Force ‘Accountability in Global Environmental Governance.’ Susan was the Chair of the Environmental Studies Section of the ISA from 2015 to 2017. You can follow Susan on Twitter @spark_syd.


Data and Publications

Refer to the following pages for information about the accountability mechanisms at the banks

The World Bank Inspection Panel

The World Bank Group Compliance Advisor Ombudsman

The African Development Bank Independent Review Panel

The Asian Development Bank Accountability Mechanism

The Inter-American Development Bank Independent Consultation and Investigations Mechanism

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The following texts were produced as part of the project

  • Park, S. (2015). Assessing Accountability in Practice: The Asian Development Bank’s Accountability Mechanism. Global Policy, 6(4), 455-465. [More Information]

  • Park, S. (2014). Institutional isomorphism and the Asian Development Bank's accountability mechanism: something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue? The Pacific Review, 27(2), 217-239. [More Information]

  • Park, S., McConchie, R., Walters, E., Goodwin, N. (2011). Outreach for Good Governance and Development Effectiveness through the Accountability Mechanism, (pp. 8 - 62). , UNSPECIFIED: Asian Development Bank. [More Information]


Susan Park, University of Sydney, International Relations, Multilateral Development Banks Research

Organisations and Links

The following organisations and people participated in this project. Click the links to proceed to their websites.

The World Bank

The African Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development