External Consultation Process
Updated: 6 August 2009
The three objectives of ADB's consultation process are to:
- enhance ADB's understanding of stakeholders' perspectives
- establish a shared understanding of safeguard objectives, principles and requirements
- guide the formulation of the safeguard policy statement
ADB has engaged in a transparent and robust consultation process with all stakeholders by adjusting the consultation process and responding to comments received from interested stakeholders:
Second Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement
In order for the new safeguard policy to be responsive to a wide range of views, ADB Management decided to introduce an additional step and prepare a second draft of the safeguard policy statement . The document was available for a 60-day comment period: from 3 October 2008 until 4 December 2008, and is also available in Russian and Bahasa Indonesia.
Consultation Workshops in November 2008 on the Second Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement
ADB hosted a one-day consultation workshop for Indigenous Peoples representatives at its headquarters in Manila on 18 November 2008. The workshop, which included 18 participants, provided them with a dedicated forum to review the second draft of the SPS and related documents. This workshop recognized the unique nature of Indigenous Peoples and acknowledged the value of their involvement in SPU.
In addition to the consultation workshop for Indigenous Peoples representatives, ADB held a two-day consultation workshop for multistakeholders on 19-20 November 2008. The consultation workshop consisted of 73 stakeholders including representatives of project-affected communities, government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), businesses, academia, and other international, multilateral and bilateral organizations.
The NGO Forum on ADB, a coalition of civil society groups that monitors ADB operations, requested an additional half day to further discuss the second draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement. This event was hosted by ADB at its headquarters in Manila on the morning of 21 November 2008, following the completion of the Indigenous Peoples and multistakeholder consultation workshops.
Fourteen previous workshops held to discuss the Consultation Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS)
From November 2007 until April 2008, ADB engaged extensively with important stakeholders, organizing 14 workshops including ten country/ subregional consultation workshops for ADBs developing member countries and four consultation workshops with its developed member countries in North America, Western Europe and Japan. These workshops formed the core of the consultation process, providing an open forum that helped build a shared understanding of key safeguard policies, principles and requirements among the participants. A total of 415 people participated, 45% representing Government, 34% from CSOs, 6% from academe, 7% from development agencies and 8% from the private sector. Consultation reports from each workshop have been posted on SPU website. Through these workshops and submitted written comments, primarily from CSOs, ADB has received widespread feedback and detailed suggestions.
Consultations
ADB continues to engage with external stakeholders on SPU through informal meetings, teleconferences, and other interactions with stakeholders, such as the NGO Forum on ADB. Mission travels will continue to maximize discussions on the Safeguard Policy Update, and opportunities to obtain feedback and clarify perceptions. DMCs are consulted on safeguards in a variety of ways at headquarters and in the context of operations missions to the field, as well as through seminars such as Orientation Programs for DMC Officials. Dialogues with relevant multilateral and bilateral partners and other international and regional organizations continue to be carried out, such as meetings with multilateral financial institutions (MFI) Environment Working Group.
Electronic and Mail Consultations
A dedicated website and email address, safeguards_update@adb.org, have been set up for written comments on the SPU.
