AfDB Appoints Richard Bissell As Member of Its Independent Review Mechanism

24 June 2010
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

The Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group on Wednesday, 23 June 2010 in Tunis appointed Mr. Richard Bissell as the new member of the Roster of Experts of the Independent Review Mechanism.

Mr. Bissell replaces Mr. Madiodio Niasse, whose term on the Roster ended on 31 May, 2010.

A US citizen, Mr. Bissell has a solid experience of independent compliance reviews from having served as panel member of the World Bank's Inspection Panel and the Asian Development Bank's Compliance Review Panel.

He is currently Executive Director, Policy and Global Affairs, of the US National Academy of Sciences, and has previously held academic positions with the American University, Georgetown University, University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, and has worked in various capacities for the US Agency for International Development.

The AfDB's Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) has been established for the purpose of providing people adversely affected by projects financed by the institution with an independent mechanism thorough which they can request the Bank Group to comply with its own policies and procedures.

The Roster of Experts comprises three individuals who will be called upon when the Bank Group, through its Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), receives requests for compliance reviews. The Experts will sit in Panels to investigate whether harm is likely to be caused to people and communities as a result of non-compliance with the Bank Group's policies and procedures.

The independent review panels will provide the Bank Group's Boards of Directors and Management with findings and make recommendations on remedial actions on how to improve the project concerned and ensure that it complies with applicable Bank Group policies and procedures.

The Panels can also make recommendations on possible improvements of policies and procedures to address and prevent future problems arising from Bank Group-financed projects.

Mr. Bissell holds a Ph.D. in International Economics from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Boston.

Contacts

felix Njoku

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