DUSHANBE, September 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has conducted seminars for key stakeholders in Tajikistan to introduce them to the ADB”s Accountability Mechanism to address concerns of persons affected by ADB-assisted projects, press release issued by the ADB Office n Tajikistan said.
Tajikistan government officials, staff from executing agencies and project implementation units of ADB-funded projects, NGO and private sector representatives attended the sessions held in Dushanbe on 16 September 2009.
The orientation was done by Robert May, Special Project Facilitator, who visited Dushanbe from ADB’s headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
ADB established the Accountability Mechanism in 2003, which is intended to provide an independent forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and also report alleged violations of ADB’s operational policies and procedures.
The Accountability Mechanism has both a problem solving phase, undertaken by the Office of the Special Project Facilitator, and a compliance review phase undertaken by the Compliance Review Panel. The Accountability Mechanism applies to both public and private sector operations.
“Establishment of the Accountability Mechanism is an effort to enhance ADB”s development effectiveness, project quality and transparency in operations,” said Makoto Ojiro, ADB’s Country Director for Tajikistan. “But accountability also implies partnership, openness and shared responsibility among all stakeholders involved in the development process.”
