The World Bank which was created in July 1944 has initiated and funded a plethora of projects throughout the world, with the primary objective to end poverty and enhance the well-being of the people in the country where these projects have been executed. One of these projects which had negative outcomes is the Promoting Basic Services (PBS) Project in Ethiopia. This project which was funded by the World Bank, was approved on May 25, 2006 and cost US$ 2562.91 million. The goal of this project was to improve the general education, health, general public administration, general water, sanitation and flood protection sectors as well as promote agricultural extension and research. During the execution of this project, the Ethiopian government
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The report from the investigation that was carried out the Inspection Panel indicated that, the fund which was allocated to the PBS project was used to pay government officials who spear headed the villagisation program. The World Bank thus violated its own policies on project appraisal, risk assessment, financial analysis and protection of indigenous peoples, as their role is not just to provide the funds needed for projects but to also ensure that these projects are carried out without human rights violations. The World Bank acknowledged the fact that “underlying the litany of Africa’s development problems is a crisis of governance.” (World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa: From Crisis to Sustainable Growth: A Long Term Perspective Study (Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1989), p. 60.). With this fact in mind the World Bank could have been more involved in the implementation of this project and proposed amicable settlements to those who would be affected by the villagisation program. Sensitisation campaigns could have been organised to make the people aware of the many advantages that they would benefit from a having a better educational infrastructures and health care facilities, which were some of the deliverables of this project. A good example of how amicable settlement works was experienced in my country of origin, Cameroon, where the ancestral ceremonial land of the Sawa people of Douala had to be used to …show more content…
The World Bank’s Inspection Panel which is impartial in its role aims to promote accountability at the World Bank for all the projects it funds. This helps the World Bank to be objective and responsible in its operations and provides a means of continuous improvements. With the PBS project in Ethiopia, the Inspection Panel’s report on the villagisation program led the World Bank to update its Executive Directors to ensure a better supervision and execution of future projects. Adding members of different nations to the project selection boards will ensure an unbiased project selection process. Making the selection criteria public could encourage nations in need of external funding to tender request for loans from the World
The report from the investigation that was carried out the Inspection Panel indicated that, the fund which was allocated to the PBS project was used to pay government officials who spear headed the villagisation program. The World Bank thus violated its own policies on project appraisal, risk assessment, financial analysis and protection of indigenous peoples, as their role is not just to provide the funds needed for projects but to also ensure that these projects are carried out without human rights violations. The World Bank acknowledged the fact that “underlying the litany of Africa’s development problems is a crisis of governance.” (World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa: From Crisis to Sustainable Growth: A Long Term Perspective Study (Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1989), p. 60.). With this fact in mind the World Bank could have been more involved in the implementation of this project and proposed amicable settlements to those who would be affected by the villagisation program. Sensitisation campaigns could have been organised to make the people aware of the many advantages that they would benefit from a having a better educational infrastructures and health care facilities, which were some of the deliverables of this project. A good example of how amicable settlement works was experienced in my country of origin, Cameroon, where the ancestral ceremonial land of the Sawa people of Douala had to be used to …show more content…
The World Bank’s Inspection Panel which is impartial in its role aims to promote accountability at the World Bank for all the projects it funds. This helps the World Bank to be objective and responsible in its operations and provides a means of continuous improvements. With the PBS project in Ethiopia, the Inspection Panel’s report on the villagisation program led the World Bank to update its Executive Directors to ensure a better supervision and execution of future projects. Adding members of different nations to the project selection boards will ensure an unbiased project selection process. Making the selection criteria public could encourage nations in need of external funding to tender request for loans from the World