30 January 2001
Development Banks Announce Initiatives in Response to WCD Report

Following the launch of the WCD 's final report - Dams and Development - on November 16th, a number of international financing institutions have initiated review processes to assess the Commission's findings and recommendations.

Asian Development Bank President, Mr Tadao Chino, in a letter to the WCD Chair, Professor Kadar Asmal announced that the ADB will host a regional workshop in February 2001 to discuss implications of the report for the Bank with representatives from its member states in Asia. Mr. Chino also indicated that the Commission's recommendations will be reviewed in terms of the Bank's operational guidelines. "We note that although dams have been the vehicle for the WCD's work, the findings are applicable to many of ADB's major infrastructure projects. I share your view that publication of Dams and Development is only the end of the beginning. We have listened as the Commission has told its story and accept that future progress is "up to us".

TheAfrican Development Bank has welcomed the Commission's report as "a major milestone in the assessment of economic technical and environmental performance of large dams." The AfDB announced on 26th January 2001 that in response to the WCD report it plans to incorporate new criteria and guidelines in the development of the Bank's technical guidelines for its policy on Intergrated Water Resource Management. The AfDB will also participate in the final meeting of the WCD Forum to be held in Cape Town on 25 - 27 February 2001.

The World Bank began a formal dialogue on the WCD report during the meeting of its Board in mid January. It is currently consulting member states in preparation for a full discussion of the report before its Committee on Development Effectiveness in mid-February. The recommendations of the WCD report are expected to inform the World Bank's new Water Sector Strategy as well as the review of its guidelines on resettlement and displacement.