On February 26, the AfDB CSOs Working Group wrote a letter to the African Development Bank (AfDB), calling on the bank to ensure meaningful opportunities for civil society groups to participate in the Bank’s Annual Meetings, that will take place in Nairobi (Kenya) on May 27-30.
Since 2018, the AfDB CSOs Working Group has observed a lack of dedicated engagement spaces for CSOs within the framework of the Bank’s Annual Meetings. While they acknowledge the Bank’s effort in organizing separate continental and regional CSO forums, the group notes how “the nature of these forums often resembles partnership meetings rather than platforms for meaningful and critical dialogue with the Bank’s decision-makers”.
In the letter, the AfDB CSOs Working Group calls on the Bank to create opportunities for meaningful participation, including:
- Thematic CSO-led sessions: issuing a call for proposals for CSO-led sessions on the Bank’s website and through social media, to reach both continental and global civil society organizations. The selection process should extend beyond Bank-funded CSOs to embrace other groups offering critical and independent perspectives on the AfDB’s work. Sessions should foster meaningful dialogue and critical discussions on challenges and opportunities facing the AfDB, with active participation from Bank staff.
- CSO roundtable discussion with AfDB Executive Directors: Creating a space for direct engagement between civil society and the Bank’s Executive Directors, as key decision makers and representatives of the governments of which CSOs are constituents, is paramount. This interaction aims to bridge communication gaps, share community concerns, foster mutual understanding, and explore avenues for collaboration.
- CSO town hall meeting with AfDB Senior Management: Allocating dedicated time for CSOs to engage with the AfDB’s senior management is crucial. This meeting would allow management to provide updates on the Bank’s priorities, including the Hi5 and other Bank initiatives, and directly address questions and concerns from CSOs and community representatives. This would also provide space to community members who have been directly affected by AfDB funded projects to share their livedexperiences and give insight into processes and implementation on the ground.
Check the complete letter below: