Investigation launched into World Bank project in Tanzania

By Osoro Nyawangah, MWANZA Tanzania

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors, on Wednesday November 15 approved a recommendation from the Inspection Panel to investigate the Tanzania Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) Project.

Courtesy - IP

The recommendation came in response to a request for inspection that was submitted on June 20, 2023, by two individuals from Tanzania. These individuals requested to remain confidential and also requested the Oakland Institute to be their advisor in the Panel process.

The project triggered the following safeguard of Environmental Assessment, Natural Habitats, Forests, Pest Management, Physical Cultural Resources, and Involuntary Resettlement policies.

The requesters allege that the World Bank financed REGROW project in Tanzania did not follow several World Bank policies and procedures including policies on involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples.

They claim that communities in five villages (with an approximate population of 21,000) adjacent to Ruaha National Park were notified that they will be evicted.

According to the request, the evictions will include an additional 47 sub-villages in 14 villages.

That the affected communities have not been meaningfully consulted and project documentation has not been disclosed to them.

“We face violence, actual and threats of retaliation, which has created a sense of constant fear among affected community members.” They allege adding that over the past two years their cattle have been seized in large numbers to the detriment of pastoral livelihoods.

They further allege that the seizure of cattle has impacted several Indigenous Peoples groups, including Maasai, Sukuma and Datoga pastoralists, who inhabit the project area.

“World Bank failed to trigger its policy on Indigenous Peoples, causing irreparable harm to the identity, culture, and rights of the indigenous communities in the project area.”

The project was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on September 28, 2017, for an amount of US$ 150 million International Development Association (IDA) credit.

It was originally scheduled to close on September 28, 2023, and was restructured and extended to February 28, 2025, its current closing date.

When the request was received, the disbursement was 63.14 percent – an amount of US$ 90.72 million.

The Panel registered the request on July 20, 2023, and as required under Panel process, management submitted its response to the request on August 13, 2023.

A Panel team visited Tanzania from August 21 to September 2, 2023, to assess the eligibility of the request.

The Panel submitted its report and recommendation to the Board on September 19, 2023, in which it recommended carrying out an investigation into the Bank’s review and due diligence of the capacity and processes of one of the project’s lead implementing agencies, Tanzania National Parks, and whether risks to communities were identified in project documents and appropriate mitigation measures put in place, and the Bank’s supervision of Tanzania National Parks.

The investigation will review the related, possible non-compliance with the applicable World Bank policies, focusing on the Bank’s policy on Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) and the Bank’s Investment Project Financing Policy.

The investigation pertains to the Bank’s actions and omissions and would not consider other parties mentioned in the request for inspection.

In this regard, the Panel during the course of its investigation will review and research Bank project documents and files, among others, and interview individual Bank staff involved with the project, both past and present. The Panel will inquire whether any review or guidance by Bank Management was consistent with Bank Policies.

Under the Inspection Panel resolution and the World Bank Accountability Mechanism (AM) resolution, after Board approval of the Panel’s investigation recommendation, the AM Secretary offers the complainants and the borrower the option of dispute resolution.

The AM Secretary will inform the Board, the Panel and Bank Management within 30 business days whether the parties have voluntarily agreed to pursue dispute resolution.

The Project covers four large, unique areas in Tanzania: Ruaha National Park, the Nyerere National Park (former Selous Game Reserve), Mikumi National Park and Udzungwa National Park. Combined, these four National Parks equal an area larger than Switzerland.

The lead Project implementing agencies are the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) of the Government of Tanzania, with support from the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), the Tanzania Forest Service (TFS), the National Irrigation Commission (NIRC), and the Rufiji Basin Water Board (RBWB).