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NGO Notebook: Open Forum
President Hails NGOs’ Contribution to Development
In discussions held with 50 nongovernment organization (NGO) representatives on 9 May 2002, ADB President Tadao Chino reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to working closely with civil society to fight poverty in Asia and the Pacific. The hour-long meeting took place in Shanghai on the eve of the formal opening of the 35th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors.  In his welcome remarks, Mr. Chino stated, “Nongovernment organizations are significant players in the development process, and I believe that by working with you, ADB can improve the impact, sustainability, and quality of the services it provides to its developing member countries.” A few speakers noted the potential negative impact on the environment and local communities of certain ADB projects and shared documentation delineating their concerns. Others applauded ADB’s recent efforts to engage NGOs and proposed that ADB
President Chino thanked participants for their contributions and assured them that project-related concerns would receive careful attention by ADB. He also seized upon the recommendation to promote basic education, indicating that this should be a priority. In this context, he cited his recent visit to a classroom in war-ravaged Afghanistan, where ADB plans to rehabilitate selected primary schools and provide educational materials for children. Background
Participants in the annual “NGO Open Forum” hailed progress in ADB’s collaboration with non-government organizations - NGOs, and called upon ADB to strengthen its consultation procedures, increase involvement of NGOs in projects, and revamp operational mechanisms for cooperating with civil society. The half-day forum launched the seminar series at the 35th Annual Meeting. It also offered an opportunity to review the relationship between ADB and NGOs, and to deliberate ideas on how to step up civil society participation in ADB operations. About 40 NGO representatives from over a dozen countries took part in the meeting. They included staff of social welfare and nonprofit development agencies, environmental groups, foundations, NGO associations, trade union alliances, and others. After an introductory briefing by Robert Dobias, Head, NGO Center, participants divided into three discussion groups to formulate and debate recommendations on consultation and dialogue, information delivery, ADB support to NGOs, and new operational mechanisms. After the discussion groups had organized their ideas, participants reconvened in plenary session to hear a representative of each group report on the recommendations developed. The presenters included Peter Riggs, Director, East Asia Programs, Rockefeller Brothers Fund; Michael Simon, Advocacy Coordinator, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad; and Peter Ikin, Manager, Consulting Services, World Vision Australia. Recommendations
Participants recommended that NGO skills, experience, and concerns be included in all processes and cycles, including design and program development. They also said that modes of partnership with NGOs should take into account factors such as the type of project and kind of NGO. It was also recognized that some NGOs prefer an advocacy role to an operational one, thereby guarding their independence as “watchdogs” pushing for accountability by ADB. Forum participants recommended that information about consultations be provided in a timely manner, and that an explanation be offered on how input will be used. They also highlighted the importance of reporting back after consultations to explain changes that were made in policies, projects, and programs as a result of feedback received. Also cited was the need to solicit a broad spectrum of views. NGO representatives welcomed the creation of the NGO Center and recognized its role as a facilitator of ADB partnership with civil society. At the same time, they expressed concern about its small staff and recommended the Center bolster links with project officers and communities. Participants also recommended that the Center’s stature be strengthened by establishing a direct reporting link to the President. The idea of forming a consultation board of NGOs received cautious support, with participants suggesting a potentially active programming role for such a body in project selection and design. Participants also backed the idea of an ADB registration roster of NGOs, but wondered if varying registration procedures across countries would pose difficulties for NGO recognition. Addressing the question of whether ADB should create a small grants fund for NGOs, participants raised several questions, including staffing implications, the range of projects that would be eligible for support, and composition of the grants-awarding panel. Finally, it was recognized that ADB is expected to comment on an NGO code of conduct used by the European Commission. The code had previously been provided to ADB by a network of European NGOs as a possible guide for ADB’s interaction with civil society groups. After the Open Forum, the groups’ recommendations were merged into a common document and distributed. Framework Consultations UnderwayADB is taking into account the Forum recommendations as it undertakes an extensive series of consultations with stakeholders over the coming months on a new framework for cooperation with NGOs. During 2002, consultations will be held in about 15 countries with NGOs, governments, academics, and the private sector on how to develop such a framework. ________________________________ Learn more about ADB's partnership with NGOs |
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