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About the Safeguard Policy Update
Updated: 28 January 2009

In 2005 the Asian Development Bank (ADB) initiated a Safeguard Policy Update. The objective of the SPU is to improve the relevance of safeguards and strengthen their effectiveness. ADB has three safeguard policies: Environment Policy (2002), Policy on Indigenous Peoples (1998), and Policy on Involuntary Resettlement (1995).

The update's objectives are to:

  • articulate ADB's safeguard requirements to improve their clarity, coherence, and consistency
  • balance a front-loaded procedural approach with one focused more on results during implementation
  • make policy implementation more adaptable in practice to match an evolving range of ADB's lending products and innovative financing schemes
  • work toward greater harmonization with safeguard practices across multilateral finance institutions and tailor safeguard approaches to different clients with different capacities
  • improve internal processes and resource allocation

During the update period, an independent assessment of ADB's environmental and social safeguards was undertaken by Operations Evaluation Department in 2006/07 and the results were shared on ADB's website. ADB committed itself to a comprehensive consultation process for the safeguard policy update, which included consultation workshops (14 country and subregional workshops in 2007/2008 and a series of consultation workshops in November 2008) and the compilation of all written comments on the policy update. A draft policy paper (Working Paper or W-paper) [ PDF: 404kb | 109 pages ] has been prepared and circulated for Board consideration and posted on the ADB website on 19 January 2009. The Board's consideration of the W-paper will be held on 24 February 2009. The final draft policy paper (Restricted Paper or R-paper) is expected to be submitted to the Board during the second quarter of 2009.