From April 29 to May 1, 2024, NGOs and Civil Society Center of Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized "CSO Anchors for 2024" workshop. The topics of the course are dedicated to the involvement of interested parties in the policies and strategies of international multi-profile development banks, the protection of interests, and the strengthening of the capacity to dialogue with banks. On April 30, CEE Bankwatch Network Policy Officer Nina Lesikhina, Communities Co-Director, Accountability Consultant Teresa Mutua, and EcoLur Informational NGO Deputy President Victoria Burnazyan acted as speakers at the workshop session "Reflecting on CSO Interest Protection". The session was moderated by Marina Best from NGOs and Civil Society Center of Asian Development Bank
In her speech, Victoria Burnazyan mentioned the low awareness and insufficient level of dialogue about the policies of the international development banks in the communities. According to her, studies show that some data in the environmental and social impact plans (ESIA) presented to the banks by business companies and the EIA document presented to the authorized body differ. It is problematic that the documents developed by the banks and the ESIAs are in a foreign language, which makes it difficult for residents and NGOs to get to know them in detail. The responsibility of banks for the projects they finance is low. She emphasized that representatives of the banks have meetings in the communities where projects are implemented with the funds of the banks and dialogue with the local residents and NGOs to understand the program problems and find solutions. It is also important that these meetings are not formal in nature so that people's voices are heard by the banks, otherwise people get disappointed and lose confidence.
April 30, 2024 at 17:28