World Bank Accountability Mechanism

06/15/2026

The June issue of Accountability Matters announces the integration of the World Bank Group independent accountability mechanisms, and features articles on stakeholder engagement, accountability tools, outreach events, and the latest publications from the world of accountability.

Access full issue here:

Accountability Matter is the quarterly newsletter published by the World Bank Accountability Mechanism

03/06/2026

Feb issue of Accountability Matters features a double header of interviews with World Bank Management: Maninder Gill, WBG Director, E&S Policy and Operations, and Faris Hadad-Zervos, former Country Director for Afghanistan. Access the full issue:

Accountability Matter is the quarterly newsletter published by the World Bank Accountability Mechanism

01/30/2026

Congratulations to the affected communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, the National Highway Authority, and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for signing an agreement to conclude the process facilitated by the excellent team put together by the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS).

On January 20, 2026, the Parties involved in the Pakistan Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project (P159577) case – the Government of Pakistan (the Borrower), represented by the National Highway Authority and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the affected communities (the Requesters), living ...

01/23/2026

In October 2025, the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) of the World Bank Accountability Mechanism concluded its support to the Parties on implementation of a mediated agreement in the first-ever DRS case. Earlier, in May 2023, an 18-month mediation process had culminated in a dispute resolution agreement between local community members and the Kampala Capital City Authority in Uganda, related to impacts from Lubigi Channel construction works and the World Bank Second Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP-2). We are presenting a video featuring the Parties themselves sharing their story, together with reflections from the DRS team.

From virtual meetings between Parties unsure of each other to a signed agreement that incorporated their concerns, the DRS team worked tirelessly to help the parties engage in constructive dialogue and develop solutions that worked for them.

In the video, Orsolya Szekely, Head of DRS, said: “The objectives of the Accountability Mechanism and the World Bank are shared. We all want better development outcomes, more tailored development for communities, and no harm caused by projects which the World Bank implements. … Conflicts are not helping development and solutions to conflict contribute to development.”

William Romans, Head of Operations, DRS, put the case in context: “This case in Uganda is most importantly a story about a community that was able to find its voice through a dispute resolution process. Participation in an inclusive way is critical to accountability. We hope that the Dispute Resolution Service has been able to facilitate this community’s access towards accountability.”

The Uganda case provided a learning experience for everyone involved. As Scott Adams, Senior Dispute Resolution Officer, explained, “Being the first DR case, it's had hopefully a positive impact for accountability. And it has made our subsequent dispute resolution cases go a little bit easier … Hopefully that's set a good precedent.”

We would like to thank all our video interviewees for their honest appraisals of an often challenging process!

In case you missed it, take a look at the follow-up report on the Uganda case: https://lnkd.in/ecidzQqZ

https://accountability.worldbank.org/en/news/2026/uganda-video

 The World Bank Accountability Mechanism Dispute Resolution Service has published a on a case related to the Second Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP-2) in Uganda. The video describes the mediation process leading up to the signing of an agreement in May 2023, t...

01/05/2026

📢Read the December issue of Accountability Matters:

This issue features an interview with Ajay Achyutrao Deshpande, who joined the Inspection Panel as a Panel member in March 2025, with a particular focus on his work on environmental and climate-related issues. We then delve into a topic addressed during the recent IAMnet Annual Meetings in Barbados, on how dispute resolution processes take account of Environmental and Social standards across IAMs. Such discussions remind us how important it is for practitioners to exchange news and views on a regular basis. We also provide coverage of the final accountability-related publications of 2025.