World Bank Board Approves Changes to the Structure of the World Bank’s Accountability Mechanism

WASHINGTON, January 9, 2025-The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors on January 8 approved changes to the structure of the World Bank's Accountability Mechanism (AM). These changes are aimed at enhancing the independence as well as the overall effectiveness, efficiency, and functioning of the accountability process.

The organizational changes will: (i) enable the Inspection Panel (IPN) and the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) to operate as two parallel units each independently reporting to the Board; and (ii) create a new position of Executive Secretary to support both units and work under the direct supervision of both the IPN Chair and the Head of the DRS. The Executive Secretary will provide administrative, communication and coordination services to both the IPN and the DRS.

The approved changes follow a report by an external review team appointed by the Board last year to explore options to improve the World Bank's accountability process. The changes will be made effective in the coming weeks with the adoption of amendments to the governing resolutions by the Board.

Current cases will not be affected by these changes, and the Board will continue to consider additional reforms to further strengthen overall accountability at the World Bank.

The AM and DRS were created by the Board in 2020 to provide project-affected communities with the option of dispute resolution to address their concerns. The Inspection Panel, which carries out compliance reviews in response to complaints by affected people, was established in 1993 as the first independent accountability mechanism at an international financial institution.