WORLD BANK CAS PAPER: ACTION ALERT!!!

The World Bank last month secretly sent out invitation to some selected NGOs without clear notice to attend Country Assistance Strategy (CAS)1 Consultation Meetings at Abeokuta later changed to Ijebu-Ode. Invitation letter were signed by the World Country Director, Mr. Hafez Ghanem on December 1, 2004 and received by most NGOs on December 7, 8, and 9, for a consultation meeting schedule for December 13th, 2004.

According to the World Bank officials handling the CAS consultation, the Ijebu-ode meeting was one of the series of meetings schedule for December. Consultation has already been held in Owerri, Imo State and Abuja respectively. Another one was held in Bauchi State on the 15th December.

Time line for Nigeria’s CAS is schedule as follows:

* December 2004 - Stakeholder Consultation
* January 2005 - Preparation for the first public draft
* February 2005 - Request for comments for stakeholder - preparation for second draft
* March 2005 - WB / DFID Senior Management Internal Review
* April 2005 - Discussion at the WB Board of Directors
* May 2005 - Wide dissemination to the public

1. The World Bank Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) drives the institution’s assistance to developing countries such as Nigeria and spells out what the world Bank will finance and the rationale for these priorities over about a three-year time horizon. In the invitation letter to African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) and other NGOs from the South-West and South-South zone, the World Bank said that she is in the process of preparing its Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) that will define the direction of the bank’s involvement in Nigeria in the period, 2005 to 2007.

Considering the importance of the CAS paper to Nigeria and the importance attached to it by the international donors / creditors community, ANEEJ decided to monitor the process to hold the World Bank accountable to its commitment to consult wisely with Nigeria in designing the CAS paper. The bank confirmed that since the World Bank Group’s re-engagement with Nigeria in 1999, its assistance has been guided by Interim Country Assistance Strategy. The World Bank is now beginning a process to produce a full Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) to guide its operations and support to Nigeria’s development strategy in the next four years.

The Bank and IMF leverage on Nigeria economic reform programme has been viewed with concern by Nigerians.

World Bank Double Talk

One of the Governors aide in Kwara, a very prominent development activist confirmed to ANEEJ that his governor only received the invitation five days to the meeting without any knowledge of CAS process.

He went further to state that Kwara is in need of any aid to meet the need of the people, before, Kwara was not in the priority of the bank so my Governor will not want to take any position that will compromise our access to the bank facilities.

After the morning session of the bank presentation of her position on Nigeria development which was attended by the host governor Daniel Gbenga of Ogun State, Governor Tinubu of Lagos State and Kwara State Governor Saraki, the CSO / private sector presentation started without any prior introduction.

It was after ANEEJ intervention demanding for more explanation of the entire process and introduction of those present that World Bank team for the CAS conceded that further comment should be followed with introduction.

In the interaction at the NGO session, which was poorly attended owing to poor communication and flawed process, the NGOs that manage to come complained bitterly about their disappointment with the entire process. One of the key concern was the lack of access to key information on the CAS paper and short notice which did not provide anybody opportunity to make any meaningful input to World Bank presentation.

However, the World Bank team keep on maintaining their position that the meeting was meant to feed in Nigeria’s position into the CAS process.

After exhaustive argument the World Bank team apologized for the communication difficulties in relation to the sudden changes in venue from Abeokuta to Ijebu-ode.

ANEEJ now demanded that we should use the meeting to plan for a genuine consultation owing to the flawed process. Responding, Mr. Alexander a member of the World Bank Team whom at this point make some useful intervention, supported the called for the meeting to consider the issue of due process. But unfortunately, the Nigeria officials of the World Bank insisted that we must go ahead with the presentation.

At this point, it was very clear that they were not interested to listen to the voice of due process, hence ANEEJ now pull out from the meeting.

Inspite the overwhelming evidence of meaningful engagement and participation, the World Bank team insisted to continue the so-called consultation. At this point I withdrew from the meeting.

Two key reasons why ANEEJ pulled out was that few NGOs that attended the meeting did not have any internal preparatory meeting to meaningful participation and coordination. Secondly, the bank officials were not prepared to listen to issue of defining proper CSO engagement with CAS process.

When ANEEJ raised the concern of not been properly informed and no access to CAS process, the team responded that there is no bank position yet.

This response contrast with their note that the bank has been operating with the interim CAS, which also was prepared through flawed consultation.

The World Bank has failed to respond to letters from the NGOs representative expressing their deep concern about the ongoing consultation.

NEXT STEP

To hold the World Bank accountable to its commitment, civil society representatives based to hold a genuine and broad consultation of NGOs has sent a letter to the Country Director of the World Bank Nigeria expressing their concern, calling for a genuine consultation.

To achieve this goal, ANEEJ will be coordinating a sign-on letter to the Country Director of the World Bank making the following demands:

- A genuine and broad based consultation on Nigeria CAS
- Two weeks notice for meetings
- A coherent and clear guideline for NGO invitation and participation
- Access to all WB past activities including interim CAS paper
- Advert on three Nigeria major Newspaper and Television to ensure public awareness, to elect participation.
- Past evaluation and review of World bank activities and programme.

HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE CAS WATCH CAMPAIGN

Civil Society representatives willing to participate in Nigeria’s CASWHATCH campaign can join the team that will be coordinating the sign-on letter to the Country Director of the World Bank to advocate for the above demands. You can indicate your interest by sending your names, e-mail and phone Numbers to:

Contact Rev. David Ugolor at
aneej2000@yahoo.co.uk or 08023448216

The initial draft letter to Mr. Hafaz Ghunem, the Country Director of the World Bank in Nigeria will be ready by Wednesday.

Therefore, inputs and suggestions are welcomed to assist in drafting the sign-on letter. Please take note that our key demand is to call on the Country Director to meet with CSO to prepare for a genuine National / Regional CAS consultation with civil society with a clear and transparent framework that will guide civil society participation.