Transcript Slide 1

Towards an Integrated Safeguards System
Quality Assurance and Results Department
Compliance and Safeguards Division
ORQR.3
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Current policies and procedures
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Current Safeguards System
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Policy level:
• Main crosscutting policies (environment, poverty, population,
gender, NGO/CSO,)
• A total of 13 crosscutting policies to be complied with
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Bank procedures
• Public Sector: Environmental & Social Assessment Procedures
• Private Sector: Environmental Review Procedure
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Bank guidelines & other tools
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Integrated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
Auditing guidelines
Participation/CSO handbook
Gender screening tools, climate change screening tool, etc.
Integrated Safeguards System
Current System Lacunae
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Policies:
• 13 policies and some grey areas (e.g. disclosure/
resettlement/emergency recovery )
• Do not cover the range of cases (supplementary loans,
programs, etc.)
• Do not include new themes (climate, coal, etc.)
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Procedures & Guidelines:
• Too vague (e.g.: private sector operations; corporate loans
and FIs)
• Do not capture new international best practices and AfDB
lessons learned
• Refer to outdated Bank structure.
Integrated Safeguards System
Concept Note
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Background
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Diversification of portfolio and interventions
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Increased demand for energy and transport expected
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More IRM cases, implying increased attention for
environmental and social considerations in operations
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New institutional structure
Integrated Safeguards System
Integrated Approach
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Integration between social sustainability aspects, climate
change and ecological considerations
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Single set of procedures for both public and private
sectors reducing transaction costs
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Operational safeguards deriving from cross-cutting
policies and including emerging issues
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Assemble new OS, revised ESAP and IESA in one system
Integrated Safeguards System
ISS Structure
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Policy level
• Operational safeguards as concise statements deriving from
bank policies
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Reference to new Bank structure in procedures
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Operational level
• Updated environmental and social procedures
• Update of Guidelines ( IESIA, Auditing )
• New guidelines as needed (e.g.: supervision)
• Review of joint funding procedures
Integrated Safeguards System
Other Tools
Integrated Categorization and Safeguards Sheet (for project
categorization, safeguard triggers and project screening for
climate change)
 Accrued Task manager/lead responsibility for compliance with
E&S
 Revisiting of templates and processes to streamline E&S
safeguards
 Sharp and effectively implemented
supervision tools (due diligence review)
 Adequate training and capacity building
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Integrated Safeguards System
Process for ISS Design
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Concept note to OpsCom
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Scoping document shared bank-wide
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Organizational structure
• Steering Committee with ORQR as secretariat
• Technical advisory committee / Bank experts
• International consultants and other experts
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Consultation plan / communication
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Engineering and automation (SAP-CIMM)
Integrated Safeguards System
SESA in the New System
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Important tool to proactively promote sustainable
development, moving beyond initial focus on avoiding
potential harm
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Elevates assessment of impacts and risks in the overall
economic and social development planning and decision
making process – in terms of both priority and timing
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Establishes a mechanism for public accountability related to
environmental and social impacts of policy and investment
decisions
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Mandates consideration of alternatives for major decisions
and evaluation of the consequences of taking no action
Integrated Safeguards System
Benefits
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It is a country-owned product
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It is a driver for the mental switch from supervision to
implementation support
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It will be mandatory for certain type of operations
Integrated Safeguards System
Next Steps
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SESA Working Group
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Assessing the use of SESA guidelines (SIA) in the past
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Collecting information/ opinion from operation departments
and Regional Member Countries
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Appraising our pilots
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Updating AfDB guidelines to include new dimensions:
• More emphasis on social dimension
• Climate change adaptation
• User friendly checklist (e.g.: resettlement ….)
Integrated Safeguards System