The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group Policy on Disclosure of

Information African Development Bank Group

Antoinette Batumubwira, Head of AfDB External Relations and Communication AfDB

March 1, 2010

1 Content of the presentation

 The rationale for the Bank Group’s Policy on Disclosure of Information

 Basic Principle

 Key Information for Disclosure

 Categories of Bank Group Information which remains confidential African Development Bank Group

 Channels of Disclosure  Disclosure of Bank’s information through the AfDB website

 Information Disclosure and Media Relations

 The Way Forward

2 The rationale for the Bank Group’s Policy on Diclosure of Information

The effectiveness and sustainability of projects and programmes supported by AfDB will be strengthened to the extent that the Bank Group staff and government officials share information with the population affected African Development Bank Group by these operations. AfDB

3 Basic Principle

The Bank Group should be open and transparent in Its operations and in so doing:

 encourage debate with, and an on-going flow of information, to and from, the parties involved in such operations, especially local participants in Bank Group projects;

 broaden understanding of their role and support to African Development Bank Group Bank Group mission;  facilitate cooperation and coordination with AfDB governments and other development institutions, including Bank Group recognized eligible NGO’s;

 ensure local participation in decision making as well as ownership of decisions. 4 Key Information for Disclosure A - Operational Information Disclosed

Economic and sector work

Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers

Country strategy papers and updates

 Country Governance Profile

Country Dialogue Papers African Development Bank Group Policy Based Loans Country Performance Assessment AfDB Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiatives

Prospective Project Brief

Project Appraisal Reports

Operations Policy Papers 5 Key Information for Disclosure (continued)

B- Environmental and Social Assessments Disclosure

Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Analysis

Executive Summaries of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments African Development Bank Group Environmental and Social Management Plan AfDB

6 Key Information for Disclosure (continued)

C- Summary of Progress and Status of Project Implementation

D- Documents of the Operations Evaluation Department

E- Information on Procurement of Goods and Services African Development Bank Group AfDB

7 Key Information for Disclosure (continued)

F- Bank Financial Information Disclosure

Financial Policy Papers

Financial Statements and Data

Countries in Non-Accrual Status (Chronic Arrears)

Trust Funds African Development Bank Group Country Financial Accountability Assessment Public Expenditure Reviews AfDB Country Procurement Assessment Report

8 Key Information for Disclosure (continued)

G- Economics and Research Disclosure

H- Administration

Board of Governors

Boards of Directors

Management African Development Bank Group Staff I- Legal Information disclosure AfDB

9 Categories of Bank Group information which remains confidential

Records of internal deliberations

Privileged information (legal advice, disputes under negotiation…)

Internal financial information that may affect Bank activities in capital and financial markets African Development Bank Group

Information on internal administration or operating systems AfDB Staff personal information

Information that can affect integrity of deliberative processes 10 Channels of Disclosure

 The Bank Group’s Public Information Centre is the reference point for persons seeking information on its operations and activities, as well as the focal point of all information activities of the Bank Group.

 The Bank Group’s operations and activities through the Bank Group’s field offices. African Development Bank Group  The Bank’s website. AfDB  Media relations

11 Disclosure of Bank’s information through the website

 We are improving: Processes are being reviewed to ensure that Bank’s information is disclosed systematically through the web site

 We want to listen to our audience: Feedback forms, blogs, discussion forums, surveys, workshops…

 We want to reach our audience: E-newsletters, African Development Bank Group notifications, RSS, search engines, links exchange, social networks…

 We need to meet audience expectations: Keep AfDB content up-to-date, consistent and web-friendly, focus more on operations, synthesize content, integrate Bank’s databases

12 Disclosure of Bank’s information through the website (continued)

Some numbers as of December 2009:

 1,584,682 visits from 231 countries/territories

 7,833,457 pages viewed

 810,486 unique visitors African Development Bank Group

 65.31% increase in the number of visits, 129.33% increase in the number of pages viewed and an increase of 68.74% in the AfDB number of visitors.

 4 awards to the web site

13 Information Disclosure and Media Relations

All Board approvals (strategy and policy documents, projects, equity participation, internal reforms) are shared with the press on the basis of a mailing list:

 international news agencies such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, United press International, African Press Agency, Panapress African Development Bank Group  International / Pan-African media outlets: Jeune Afrique, IC Publications, Continental, Les Afriques, African Times USA, Télésud… AfDB  Regional / national media outlets: CNBC Africa, SABC, Africâble

14 Information Disclosure and Media Relations (continued)

High returns:  each emailing generates interview requests from African and non African media representatives

 Most of the requests receive appropriate responses (phone and written interviews with Bank officials) African Development Bank Group

Areas of improvement:  More proactive media relations focussing on AfDB projects / beneficiaries are requested by media representatives

 More audio materials are requested by local radios, community radios 15 The Way Forward

The Bank intends to review the current policy. Civil Society Organizations will be widely consulted in the process.

The website and the social networks will be used as Key tools to disseminate Bank information.

African Development Bank Group  The Policy on Disclosure of Information will be adapted to the African reality. Community radios will be one of priviledged channels of communication. AfDB

16 Conclusion

The Bank Group Policy on Disclosure of information will allow interested members of the public to monitor the outcomes of specific Bank Group investments and will in part help assure that benefits reach the beneficiaries / target African Development Bank Group communities. AfDB

17 Conclusion (continued)

The External Relations and Communication Unit has the primary responsability for providing information to the public, as well as to communicate with Bank’s audiences.

African Development Bank Group www.afdb.org AfDB

18 Thank you

African Development Bank Group AfDB

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