Civil society representatives make their voices heard at the IDB Group Annual Meetings

Representatives of around 30 environmental and human rights organizations and affected communities from Latin America, that are part of the IDB Working Group, participated in the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and IDB Invest, which took place between March 6 and 10 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The participation of civil society in the IDB Group’s 2024 Annual Meetings was described by its president, Ilan Goldfajn, as a historic moment for the Bank. “It’s hard to believe, but the last time the IDB invited civil society to play a central role in our annual meeting was in 2013,” he said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to improve the relationship with stakeholders and especially with civil society organizations.

Maia Seeger, Director of Sustentarse, on behalf of the IDB Working Group also participated in the panel “The Role of Transparency and Inclusion in Development”. In her intervention, she pointed out that transparency, especially access to information, is key, as it constitutes a fundamental right that allows the exercise of other rights, such as the right of communities to participate in decisions that affect them. In this regard, she pointed out that there are challenges in the implementation of the IDB’s Access to Information Policy and accountability. She also cited a study conducted by Accountability Counsel, which analyzed more than 230 complaints filed with the MICI between 2010 and 2023, establishing that in 31% of the cases such complaints originated from a lack of transparency and participation. Seeger called on the bank to ensure greater transparency and involve civil society and communities in decision-making processes and the definition of priorities, not only for specific projects, but also in institutional strategies and plans.

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