Independent Review Mechanism (IRM)
Mandate
The IRM’s mandate is to provide people adversely affected by a project financed
by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with an independent mechanism through which they can request the AfDB to comply with its own policies and procedures. The IRM intervenes
when people or communities affected submit a complaint. In this way, the IRM can
be considered as a recourse instrument for project affected people who have
previously been unable to resolve their problems with the AfDB’s Management. Read more
Functions
The IRM is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU) which is an organizational entity of the AfDB headed by a Director.
The IRM handles requests through
CRMU also conducts outreach activities
The compliance review is undertaken by an independent Group of Experts. The CRMU undertakes the problem-solving exercises and outreach activities to fulfill its mandate and to contribute to the AfDB’s overall objectives. For Public Sector projects, the IRM can review compliance with all operational policies and procedures. For the Private Sector, compliance reviews shall only be undertaken for social and environment policies.
Filling a Complaint
Who can file a complaint?
Are you or your community affected by a AfDB-financed project? Has an individual or community come to your organization to seek assistance concerning social and/or environmental impacts of an AfDB financed Project? Have you attempted to discuss the problems resulting from these impacts with the Bank?
For recourse, CRMU receives request presented by two or more persons (such as community of persons, an organization, association, society or other grouping of individuals) or by a qualified representative of the affected persons who demonstrate that their rights or interests have been or are likely to be adversely affected by the non-compliance of of the relevant Bank Group policies. Read more
How to file a complaint?
Submissions need to be in writing, dated and signed and sent by any suitable means (e.g. letter, email, fax, etc.) to the Director of CRMU, AfDB B.P. 323 – 1002, Tunis Belvedere, Tunisia (Tel.: +216 71102056 - Fax.: +216 71835699- Email: [email protected]) or to any of the AfDB’s field offices in the respective country of the requestors. No specific format is required. If desired, requestor’s names and contacts can be kept confidential.
The requests shall state all the relevant facts including the harm suffered by or threatened to affected parties by the alleged act or omission of the AfDB entity in contravention of its applicable policies and procedures. Read more
