Civil Society Support Needed to Ask IDA to Explain How it Will Deepen and Finance Partnerships between Civil Society and IDA21
Dear CSO Colleagues:
It is with great pleasure that I bring to your attention an opportunity to make your voice heard on the topic of expanding opportunities and funding for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and to engage in World Bank-supported operations at the country level.
The world's wealthiest nations are now negotiating a three-year replenishment of funds for the International Development Association (IDA) - the concessional financing affiliate of the World Bank Group for the poorest 75 countries. IDA has supported many tremendous
anti-poverty projects over the decades and we support a $100 billion+ replenishment. But, as you know, it could be still more effective if IDA partnered meaningfully with civil society organizations (CSOs) to ensure country-led development, faster and better
delivery of result, and integrity and transparency in the use of funds.
If you agree with this view, then please make your voice heard during the consultations with civil society being organized by IDA. Consultations are planned by regions as follows: June 17, 2024 (South and East Asia), July 8 (Western and Central Africa), July
15 (Middle East and North Africa), and July 24 (Europe and Central Asia). CSOs wishing to attend online or in person can register here. You
can also send your comments to PTF at vbha...@ptfund.org or in...@ptfund.org by
the end of July 2024 with permission to use your individual or organization name in consolidated comments we plan to send to the World Bank by the end of August 2024.
FYI: the first Regional IDA consultation was held in Eastern Africa on April 30, 2024 and, according to the summary
by the Bank, several voices spoke to the role of CSOs in the accountability of IDA funds and monitoring the delivery of project results. They pointed out that lack of financing for local CSOs to track and pay attention to how IDA resources are utilized
was seen as an impediment. Also, on May 17, 2024, more than 300 diverse civil society leaders and organizations from more than 70 countries worldwide wrote a letter to Mr. Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, encouraging the Bank to take bold, targeted,
and meaningful steps to integrate civil society into the Bank’s operations. They also asked that this policy commitment be backed up by additional funding for CSOs and technical assistance to support and facilitate meaningful engagement and accountability.
My colleagues and I at the Partnership
for Transparency have researched the optimum paths to securing IDA-CSO partnerships - see our summary
findings and read our in-depth report.
IDA spends more than $30 billion every year, but not a penny is earmarked for partnering with civil society on projects. We hope that you will join in asking the World Bank to include a detailed and monitorable action plan for deeper partnerships with
civil society (citizens + CSOs) and funding for local CSOs for such partnerships in the IDA21 policy package they are finalizing.
Thank you and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Vinay Bhargava
Chief Technical Adviser
Partnership for Transparency (www.ptfund.org)
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