During the development of a new policy or a policy review, ADB posts the draft policy on its website and invites civil society organizations to submit comments. Policies for review are posted on the website of that policy's topic.
ADB also holds consultative events to discuss policies. See below for an overview of consultative events that ADB has facilitated to discuss proposed or revised ADB policies. Information about upcoming meetings is posted on News and Events and on the websites of the relevant topic.
ADB often looks to NGOs to represent people allegedly adversely affected by ADB's activities. ADB has several channels to report complaints: report allegations of fraud or corruption. Read how to file a complaint through ADB's accountability mechanism about alleged violations of ADB's operational policies and procedures or report an allegation of an adverse affect on project beneficiaries. Learn about ADB's whistleblower policy.
Here is a list of some of the formal consultations that ADB has led over the past few years:
| Date |
ADB Consultations with NGOs |
| May 2009 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 42nd ADB Annual Meeting
More than 160 representatives of a wide range of civil society organizations participated in ADB's 42nd Annual Meeting. ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda met with CSO representatives to discuss a wide range of project and policy issues. ADB organized panel discussions on energy, information disclosure, the impact of the global economic slowdown on workers, and moving from global crisis to environmental sustainability. In addition, ADB and NGO Forum on ADB held an in-depth dialogue on the Safeguard Policy Update. Read more. |
| January 2009 |
Update of ADB's Safeguard Policies
External consultation workshops on the second draft of Safeguard Policy Statement were held in Manila in November 2008. Read reports on the consultation workshops in November 2008. Other information on the policy update, reports on previous workshops, and details about the consultation process are available here. A draft policy paper (working paper or W-paper) was circulated to the Board and posted on ADB's website on 19 January 2009. The Board's consideration of the W-paper will be held on or about 10 February 2009. Read the W-paper . |
| May 2008 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 41st ADB Annual Meeting
More than 80 representatives of CSOs participated in the 41st Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors, held 3-6 May in Madrid, Spain. The civil society delegation was larger than at any previous ADB Annual Meeting held outside of Asia. The NGO/Civil Society Program included several activities to support dialogue between CSOs and ADB on issues of mutual concern, including ADB audit and evaluation practices, safeguard policies, the core labor standards, and Asia’s energy future. |
| January 2005 to December 2007 |
Consultation under the Polluted Places India Project
Funded through ADB's Poverty and Environment Program, Blacksmith Institute built local consensus through the creation of cooperative stakeholder groups represented by the NGO community, government, and private sector. The cooperative stakeholder groups helped initiate remedial activities related to pollution in India.
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| July to September 2007 |
Consultative Process in the LTSF Review
External consultations with governments, private sector, and civil society from DMCs and donor countries have been completed in the on-going review of ADB's Long-Term Strategic Framework (LTSF). The LTSF will determine the organization's future direction and vision to 2020. The LTSF review ensures broad participation and transparent proceedings and reporting. Read more. |
| May to July 2007 |
Consultations in Developing ADB's Energy Strategy
ADB has completed the review of its energy policy. The result of the review is a new strategy that guides ADB energy sector operations. The input and advice of a variety of stakeholders – such as government, civil society, academe, the private sector, and others – helped develop the strategy and strengthen its quality and relevance. Read more. |
| May 2007 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 40th ADB Annual Meeting
The 40th Annual Meeting in Kyoto, Japan provided a venue for CSOs to interact with ADB's Management and managers, as well as with government representatives on ADB's Board of Directors and in country delegations. ADB's NGO and Civil Society Center organized consultations and panel discussions that strengthened its ongoing dialogue with NGOs, labor unions, and civil society more broadly. Read more. |
| 3 to 5 May 2006 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 39th ADB Annual Meeting
More than 170 CSO representatives from 30 countries participated in the 39th Annual Meeting in Hyderabad, India. ADB organized a series of consultation meetings on relevant issues of importance to civil society. |
| 18 November 2005 |
Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation Consultation with Civil Society
Civil society plays a strategic role in improving water management and services. As such, ADB organized a separate regional consultation on 18 November 2005 at the ADB Headquarters in Manila. The civil society consultation generated feedback from a broad range of NGOs and other civil society stakeholders as input to help improve ADB's water operations. |
| May 2005 |
NGO Consultations at the 38th Annual Meeting
The NGO Center organized a series of meetings during the 38th Annual Meeting in Istanbul Turkey. The Annual Meeting presents a venue for civil society organizations (CSOs) including NGOs to interact with ADB's Management and senior staff, as well as with government representatives on the Board of Directors and in country delegations. More than 50 NGO representatives from 23 member countries participated in this year's Annual Meeting. Starting on 2 May 2005, several sessions were held on topics of interest to NGOs, starting with a general forum on cooperation between ADB and NGOs, meeting between NGO participants and ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, and a panel discussion on ADB's safeguard policies.
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| 30-31 March 2005 |
NGO Lobby Day Meetings
ADB's NGO Center arranged a series of discussions with members of the NGO Forum on the ADB (Forum) on issues of concern to NGOs. The Forum is an Asian-led network of CSOs and community-based organizations that support each other in order to amplify their positions on ADB policies, programs, and projects affecting resources and local communities. The "Lobby Day" meetings have been part of ADB's deepening dialogue with a broad range of CSOs across the Asia-Pacific region. |
| March 2005 |
Consultation on the GMS Regional Cooperation Strategy and Program (RCSP) and the new Country Strategy and Programs (CSP) for Lao PDR and Vietnam
Two tripartite workshops were held in Lao PDR and Viet Nam between ADB, government representatives and international and local CSOs and NGOs. The consultations provided a forum for the ADB to share information, discuss and receive inputs, on the GMS RCSP and the new CSP for countries mentioned. |
| January 2005 to 2006 |
Comprehensive Review of ADB's Water Policy Implementation
A series of in country and regional consultation workshops were organized to review ADB’s water policy and propose recommendations to improve ADB’s water investments and operations. |
| February - November 2004 |
Stakeholders Share Views on ADB's Public Communications
In the process of formulating a new Public Communications Policy to replace existing policies on disclosure and information dissemination, ADB has met with hundreds of representatives of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Learn more here. |
| May 2004 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 37th ADB Annual Meeting
For this year's Open Forum, discussions centered on the Framework for Action for ADB-Government-NGO Cooperation jointly prepared by representatives of ADB, developing member country governments, NGOs, and the private sector. The meeting between the ADB President and a small group of NGOs covered wide-ranging development topics. The dialogue is a continuation of a tradition of face-to-face consultations with civil society held during ADB's Annual Meeting. |
| April - June 2004 |
Feedback on ADB's Pacific Strategy
ADB is preparing a new strategy to guide its operations in the Pacific through 2009. Between April and June 2004, representatives of governments, NGOs, private sector, academia, and donors in the Pacific and neighboring countries were consulted on a discussion paper setting out ideas for policies and approaches responding to the priorities of the poor. View the summary of feedback received and ADB's proposed responses. |
| March 2004 |
ADB Meetings with NGO Forum on ADB
About 30 representatives of NGO Forum on ADB, a network of advocacy organizations, met with several ADB staff in mid-March 2004 on a range of project, program, and policy issues. While ADB holds regular discussions with Forum members, this was the largest concentration of meetings held in Manila during 2004. |
| January - February 2004 |
Asian Development Fund (ADF) IX Related Consultations with CSOs
ADB held national consultation workshops with CSOs in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kyrgyz Republic, and Pakistan. The meetings were held between the period 29 January to 10 February 2004. In advance of the consultations, CSO representatives were provided with executive summaries of the documents prepared for the Tokyo ADF IX held on December 2003. Learn more. |
| 2003 - 2005 |
Public Invited to Comment on Interim Review of ADB's Water Policy
ADB welcomed comments on the Interim Review of its Water Policy's implementation. Comments received were taken into consideration during a comprehensive implementation review in 2005. |
| May 2003 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 36th ADB Annual Meeting
From 19 May 2003, several sessions were held on topics of interest to NGOs at the 36th Annual Meeting in Manila. The program included a general forum on cooperation between ADB and NGOs, a seminar on NGO-private sector partnership, and a discussion on environmentally and socially responsible procurement. Other seminars focused on ADB's Inspection Function, and on the Framework for Action on ADB-Government-NGO Cooperation (2003-2005). |
| May 2002 - March 2003 |
Improving Cooperation Between ADB, NGOs, and Governments
In a participatory process involving hundreds of stakeholders, ADB developed a roadmap for collaboration among ADB, governments, and NGOs through 2005. |
| May 2002 |
Consultations With NGOs at the 35th Annual Meeting
The NGO Center made arrangements for eight meetings between ADB staff and acccredited NGOs during the week of the 35th Annual Meeting, hosted by Shanghai in May 2002. |
| March 2002 - March 2003 |
Review of Inspection Function
ADB actively engaged civil society in the review of its Inspection Function, which led to the adoption of a new Accountability Mechanism on 29 May 2003. |
| May 2001, May 2002 |
Consultations with CSOs at the 34th and 35th ADB Annual Meetings
NGOs have participated in ADB Annual Meetings for over a decade. This yearly event traditionally presents an opportunity for NGOs to exchange information and views on ADB's operations and policies with ADB Management, staff, and Member Country delegations. |
| February 2001 - January 2002 |
ADB Follow up to the World Commission on Dams
ADB has completed a review to determine how guidelines proposed by the World Commission on Dams would be met by projects prepared and implemented in accordance with ADB policies. |
| May 2001 |
Consultations With NGOs at the 34th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors
ADB's NGO Center organized a series of consultations with accredited nongovernment organizations at the 34th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, May 8-11, 2001. |
| February - December 2001 |
ADB's Environment Policy
On 8 November 2002, ADB approved a new Environment Policy following extensive public consultations in 25 countries. |
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Consultation with civil society organizations (CSOs), including NGOs, is an important component of ADB's operations. ADB consults at many levels: project/technical assistance, policy, and strategy. In addition, ADB consults through different methodologies-in the field through informal and formal meetings with other stakeholders, through its website, and by formal consultation meetings.