Tag Archive for: Global Governance

The ICIM External Consultative Group was formed

In February the ICIM concluded the process of selecting members of its External Consultative Group. Juan Carballo, Executive Director of FUNDEPS has been selected to integrate it.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

Following a selection process, the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) of the Inter-American Development Bank selected eight members to form its External Advisory Council (GCE).

The purpose of the CGE is to support the ICIM’s commitment to fulfilling its accountability mandate in a credible, effective and transparent manner.

Juan Carballo, our Executive Director, has been selected to join GCE with Ana-Mita Betancourt (United States), Maximiliano Brandt (Costa Rica), Leonardo Crippa (United States), Manuel Morales (Ecuador), Paulina Ibarra , Andrea Repetto (United States) and Melanie Salagnat (Mexico). The members will participate voluntarily, without remuneration and the initial mandate will be for a period of two years.

The CGE is planning its first meeting for the first half of this year. We hope that the recommendations and suggestions regarding the membership, composition and objectives and functions of the CGE that we present at the time will be taken into account in the actions of the group.

From FUNDEPS, we will share with civil society in general the opportunities for monitoring and advocacy provided by the CGE.

More information

Contact

Juan Carballo / Executive Director

Juanmcarballo@fundeps.org

Conflicts over an IADB funded project for an environmental center in Carlos Paz

Neighbors requested the closure of the current open dump and expressed their opposition to the development of the environmental center in Carlos Paz, which has funding from the Inter-American Development Bank.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

 

On Sunday, January 29, a local autoconvocatoria took place in the square of Villa San Nicolás (Malagueño), with the objective of informing and organizing itself with regard to the problem that generates in the whole area the presence of the open dump administered by the municipality of Villa Carlos Paz in the property located to the side of the motorway to Cordoba. The neighbors formed an inter-district commission that will work to elaborate the “action plan” that will define the following steps.

Through a statement, neighbors said they will request the closure of the current landfill at the time they anticipated that they disagree with the construction of the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center in the sector. This work is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Comprehensive Urban Solid Waste Management Program-AR-L1151.

The meeting came after a week in which the wind moved home smoke from the fire in the landfill that the city has on the side of the highway Justiniano Allende Posse, less than 1 km from the entrance to the neighborhood of Villa San Nicolás. “Only now is awareness. The smoke awoke us all and triggered the protest”, said Lucas Bettiol, a neighbor of San Nicolás, in reference to the fire that was unleashed in the landfill and warned that,“we did not know until last week that they wanted to make an Environmental Center in the same place”. They also stated: “Far from remedying the damage generated by the open dump, pollution levels will increase due to the installation of a new landfill that represents five times the size of the current landfill”.

The neighbors expressed an explicit and emphatic rejection of both the current landfill and the establishment of the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center. In this sense ensure that if this proposal materializes “the environment will be even more damaged, the quality of air will decrease and groundwater and surface water will be contaminated, being that in the area all neighborhoods consume well water.” Warned about the progress of the Environmental Center project, Bettiol said:
“… it will be a fight similar to what happened with Monsanto (Malvinas Argentinas), or the dumps of Bouwer and Santa Ana neighborhood … We know that it is approved but we have the antecedent of Monsanto that was managed to stop and we hope To be able to stop this. The authorities are not dimensioning the environmental or social impact (…) The population of San Nicolás was not included in the Environmental Impact Study and we are less than 1 km. TierrAlta is closer. The authorities of Carlos Paz and Malagueño minimize what is happening in the landfill “

In April last year the environmental public hearing took place, in August the Ministry of Tourism carried out the national public bidding process and in November the bids for international public bidding were opened. The works are expected to begin in the middle of this year.

In view of the possible environmental and social impacts, compliance with provincial, national and IDB operational policies must be complied with.

In the statement, they affirm that they have not been considered in the environmental impact assessment process of the IDB-financed project and that, far from remedying the damage currently generated by the open pit, the levels of pollution will increase. They demand that the municipality of Malagueño be present and that Carlos Paz recognizes the violation of his rights. They also ask the province of Córdoba to act in the prevention of damage and demand the immediate repair of the damage done in the area.

The autoconvocados neighbors of San Nicolás, TierrAlta, Mariano Moreno, La Arbolada, Lote Joven, Valle del Golf, Causana and the districts Carlospacenses Costa Azul North and South requested a public study of the quality of the air, the soil and the underground beds.

From FUNDEPS we are following this process to ensure that human rights and the environment are respected. The location of the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center next to the La Calera Defense Nature Reserve, and meters away from San Roque Lake in areas that may have a higher propensity to seep or leach into the water, is questionable.

More information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza / Coordinator of the Global Governance Area

gon.roza@fundeps.org

Worrying situation of human rights defenders worldwide

During 2016 more than 280 human rights and environmental activists were murdered in 25 countries, marking a growing radicalization of violence towards them. The murders that occurred during the first weeks of 2017 have ratified this worrying trend. From FUNDEPS we join the widespread demand for a change in the situation of those who have seen their rights vulnerable due to the protection of the environment, the territory, the rights of indigenous peoples, among others.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

 

“On March 2, 2016, gunmen stormed the house of environmental activist Berta Cáceres in the middle of the night and shot her dead. Cáceres had spent several years attempting to stop the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the land of his community in Intibucá, in western Honduras, which endangered a vital and sacred water source for the indigenous Lenca people. Less than a year before his death, he had delivered a poignant address to a crowded auditorium when he was awarded the Goldman Environment Award of 2015 for his exceptional courage in the field of environmental activism”

So begins the latest report by Global Witness, an organization that exposes the hidden links between the demand for natural resources, corruption, armed conflict and the destruction of the environment. The reason for this report is to expose the situation of human rights defenders in Honduras, identified by the report as “the deadliest country in the world for environmental activism”. The appalling levels of violence and intimidation suffered by rural communities are documented as opposing the imposition of dams, mines, logging or agriculture on their land, projects controlled by rich and powerful elites, including members of the political class. The root causes of these abuses are widespread corruption and failure to provide adequate consultation to those affected by these projects.

According to Global Witness’s research, since the coup d’état of 2009, 123 land and environmental activists have been killed in Honduras; Many others have been threatened, attacked or imprisoned. Throughout 2016, human rights defenders from all regions of the world have faced attacks because of their work to improve and defend the human rights of their communities. They have been persecuted by both state and non-state actors who sought to discourage, discredit and disrupt their non-violent activities.

According to FrontLine Defenders in its latest report of late 2016 the number of murders in 2016 was an increase over the previous year’s figure. About 281 people were killed in 25 countries. 49% of these defenders worked to defend the environment, the territory and the rights of indigenous peoples. Some of the cases occurred when local defenders launched campaigns against multinational corporations and resisted the occupation of their land and forced relocations, which were often carried out without adequate consultation or compensation.

In addition to the above, ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union’s defense mechanism, recognized that human rights defenders throughout the world are frequently subjected to harassment and false criminal accusations aimed at paralyzing, Intimidate and delegitimize their activities for human rights. They have difficulties in developing their work in increasingly restrictive environments in which the right to freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly; they do not exist. Permits are permanently revoked by human rights NGOs, bank accounts are seized and their right to access foreign funds is violated. An increasing number of States have also developed a systematic pattern of obstacles to the freedom of movement (through the use of travel bans) of human rights defenders, with the clear intention of isolating them.

The murder of the defenders impacts in a way that goes even further than their own death. They affect the entire human rights community. Organizations that have been in charge of investigating the situation of defenders around the world have often come across that their killings have usually been framed in previous protests against multinational companies. It also highlights the role of complicity of governments in these attitudes that have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people throughout the world.

Land rich in natural resources in Central and South America, Africa and Asia continue to be a source of conflict between the extractive industry and indigenous peoples in the context of projects frequently financed by international financial institutions (IFIs) or by Western and Chinese companies. The lack of checks and balances on human rights issues within these institutions, often accompanied by the abovementioned complicity of the current government, has resulted in intimidation of the local population and other more serious things, Has led them to consider that their concerns have not been adequately addressed.

So far this year 2017, new murders have been visualized to defenders. Isidro Baldenegro, an indigenous ecologist, defender of forests in the Tarahumara sierra, Mexico, was killed during the month of January. Two weeks later Juan Ontiveros Ramos, Mexican defender was brutally beaten along with other members of his family and taken to the force. On 1 February, the activist’s body was found. Likewise, on Tuesday, January 17, demonstrators led a peaceful demonstration against a hydroelectric plant in Guatemala. But the event ended with death after the paramilitaries killed and 72-year-old activist Sebastián Alonso.

From FUNDEPS we join in the widespread demand to prevent this type of behavior against environmental and human rights defenders from being perpetuated in 2017. Our work has been closely related to the monitoring of projects financed by international financial institutions, as well as Also a good part of those projects that have counted on Chinese financing. We emphasize the need for civil society to continue with its control tasks on this type of projects, while ensuring respect for the rights of those who exercise this type of task.

More information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza – gon.roza@fundeps.org

We participate in the second CEPAL regional consultation on human rights and business

The Second Regional Consultation for Latin America and the Caribbean on the Implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights was held during the week of January 17-19 in the city of Santiago de Chile. The meeting was attended by governments, businessmen and civil society organizations.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

During the year 2016, the first consultation was held and it was concluded that it was necessary to make progress in a regional report on human rights and business. In 2017, the second meeting was convened in order to continue the effort to implement the Guiding Principles, serving as a platform for dialogue among various actors, to illustrate the content of an agenda that guides the policies related to the subject matter ( Both in the public and private spheres) towards the progressive enjoyment of human rights in the context of business operations.

The Guiding Principles are based on the recognition of: (a) Current obligations of States to respect, protect and fulfill human rights and fundamental freedoms; (B) The role of companies as specialized bodies of society which perform specialized functions and which must comply with all applicable laws and respect human rights; C) The need for rights and obligations to be accompanied by adequate and effective remedies in case of non-compliance. These principles apply to all States and to all enterprises, whether transnational or otherwise, irrespective of their size, sector, location, owners and structure.

The expected results of this consultation were related to:

  • Recognize international developments in business and human rights;
  • Recognize outstanding challenges and regional reality in the development and implementation of national action plans and public policies on business and human rights;
  • Sharing experiences of different stakeholders on their relationship with the Guiding Principles and national action plans;
  • Identify opportunities to improve collaboration between countries and regions, and to continue the peer learning mechanism;
  • Evaluate progress on the regional agenda on business and human rights.

It should be noted that prior to the meeting, FUNDEPS and other civil society organizations signed a letter to encourage greater participation by civil society in this consultation. As a result of this request, a specific panel was incorporated for the organizations at the same time as the interventions of this sector were prioritized over the three days.

The consultation was attended by American governments (Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and the United States), representatives of civil society organizations and representatives of companies that are working on the implementation of the guiding principles. Each of the participating governments showed progress in the design and implementation of a national plan that addresses the application of the principles. For their part, representatives of civil society had the opportunity to express their concerns and perceptions about the work that governments and companies have been doing on this issue.

In the same way as in the case of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), FUNDEPS considers it of great importance to promote such initiatives that seek to provide greater transparency and accountability in the Private sector, but without neglecting the responsibility of national governments. Particularly in Argentina, and taking into account the current scenario of foreign investment, characterized by an increasing role of private sector investments (the case of investments of Chinese companies or the growing portfolio of projects of the Inter-American Investment Corporation, for example ) Or through Public-Private Associations, we believe that it is vital that both the national government and those of a local nature do not lose sight of these guiding principles in order to guarantee respect for human rights within the framework of business activities. We also hope that the process of designing a national human rights and business plan will have a space for civil society input.

More information

Contact

Agustina Palencia – agustinapalencia@fundeps.org

Advances and challenges at the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center Project

Administrative processes are advancing and it is expected that in May 2017 work will begin for the construction of the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

 

The IDB’s Integrated Urban Solid Waste Management Program (GIRSU) finances works for the integral management of solid urban waste and the recovery of degraded areas due to the poor disposal of such wastes. The total cost of the program is US $ 150 million and contains two subprograms: on the one hand, GIRSU in national parks and adjacent municipalities and, on the other hand, GIRSU in other tourist municipalities.

Within the second group is the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center. The center was designed to receive the urban solid waste from five neighboring municipalities that agreed with the municipal administration of Carlos Paz their joint treatment. The project was developed by TecnoMak S.A. Contracted by the Executing Unit of International Loans under the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation.

TecnoMak S.A. Studied three alternatives for possible locations of the new MSW treatment center. Finally, it was decided to locate it in the building of the current open-air garbage dump bordering the La Calera Natural Reserve.

The project has three groups of works:

Works Group 1: Sanitary Landfill for the disposal of MSW generated in the localities of the Municipality of Villa Carlos Paz and communes of the area of ​​influence of the project; With a useful life of 20 years and an average daily income of 163 Tn / day.

Works Group 2: Separation and Treatment Plant and related logistical and administrative support works.

Works Group 3: Closing and Closing of the Landfill to Open Sky currently existing.

On April 7, 2016, the environmental public hearing was held in which the authorities participated and eleven people registered with it.

The mayor Esteban Avilés explained:

“We are working on a regional project that will give us a definitive solution to the open dump (…), with this public hearing would be closed the administrative situation and then move to the instance of decrees that have to do with the Secretariat of Environment Of the province, and the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation by Gustavo Santos”

Regarding the deadlines stated that “we believe that we will be fairly quick compared to other projects approved at the national level” but did not rule out before the end of the year.

Several objections were raised by María Luz Cammisa (Secretary of the Norman Morandini, Director of the Human Rights Observatory of the Senate of the Nation), related to the relevance of the hearing as “it arrives with a work that is tendered and has been up to Pre-awarded (…) We are here in some way to validate what has already been decided by us” It was also stressed the jurisdictional limitation, since the affected lands are outside the ejido of Carlos Paz:

“It is for us a priority issue that I raised to the governor Juan Schiaretti because we can not advance in a planning with the intermediate institutions of the city always being conditioned to that the province resolves this administrative situation.I see that it is a governor that has this type De la Sota really had no interest for anything, “declared the Intendente and later be endorsed by his collaborators: It is a theme of substance for the Carlospacenses; But that does not determine the continuity of the project.”

More controversial was the mention of Cammisa regarding the deadline stipulated by the Technical Commission for the use of the module:

“…it must have a maximum of six years, and that after the same period, a site outside the San Roque basin (…) should be used to specify the integration of a Comprehensive Waste Management Program in the metropolitan area of Córdoba (CORMECOR) “(…) We do not know if the municipality itself will have a solution for its waste beyond six years. That is to say that the projected environmental center will last less years than the time taken to plan it”

Those who responded to this were the architect Liliana Bina and the secretary of Urban Environmental Development, Horacio Pedrone. They mentioned in this respect that the Interdisciplinary Technical Commission suggested this term in view of the CORMECOR project, of which the city would participate if it materialized. However, “this plant would continue to function exactly the same, but instead of throwing the surplus into the sanitary burial, we would do it in a transfer iron to Cordoba.” Meanwhile, Villa Carlos Paz as the member communes will have buried for that date some 475 thousand tons of garbage.

On the other hand, Pedrone said “to say that the municipalities and communes that have signed intermunicipal agreements with us and that they will not be able to throw the garbage more is absolutely false … The project has been thought from the first minute with the participation Of the eight municipalities and municipalities bordering Villa Carlos Paz and have always treated the subject of garbage together” said in a framework of participation in which were present the community leaders Andrea Jordán (Cuesta Blanca), Adolfo Parizzia (Estancia Vieja) and representatives of Icho Cruz and Cabalango.

Other approaches were related to the territorial organization of the native forest:

“… there is no mention in the environmental impact study of the negative impacts of the reserve. It is an area bordering a protected area, and a project that seeks to be authorized by means of exceptions provided for in the Forests Law (…) The opinion of the Technical Commission itself warns against the location of the project that it would be inadvisable to concentrate in this area more potentially impacting installations against the environment, since it is in the vicinity of the natural area (…) and in areas with drainage at Lake San Roque.”

This point was also raised by environmentalist Juan Carlos Paesani, who for health reasons was not present but made read his statement: “Will it be understood that this reservoir gives drinking to almost two million people in the city of Córdoba? Continue to ignore elementary principles.”

More confrontational was the speech of the President of the Council of Representatives, Walter Gispert, who retorted the remarks when pointing out that:

“Apart from saying, we have to do, our government has spoken to everyone … Beyond the technical issues, the material and environmental debt that the city has and the effort made by all public and private institutions to Solve the problem, for our future, I ask you to approve the project.”

He also suggested that “the Chicana” comes from a member who shares his same political space, Norma Morandini, “whom I spoke to personally to raise the situation, but he never came to Carlos Paz, and she was a legislator for Córdoba.”

In August, the national public bidding process was carried out and in November the tenders for the international public tender were opened. The works will start in May 2017. The current landfill will be replaced by a landfill that will house a waste separation plant and a recycling plant. 222 million will be financed by the Inter-American Development Bank and it is estimated that the work will require around eight months and that by mid-2018 this new plant would be put into operation.

From FUNDEPS we follow these processes to ensure that they respect human rights and the environment. The location of the Villa Carlos Paz Environmental Center next to the La Calera Defense Nature Reserve, and meters away from San Roque Lake on land that may have a higher propensity to seep or leach into the water, is questionable. In this context of possible environmental and social impacts, the municipal and provincial governments must ensure the highest levels of transparency and access to information. From FUNDEPS we will monitor compliance with provincial and national regulations on these issues as well as compliance with the corresponding operational policies of the IDB.

More information

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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The work of trunk gas pipelines in Cordoba has Chinese funding

The largest infrastructure project in the province of Cordoba has Chinese funding. Two Chinese banks: ICBC and Bank of China will finance 80% of the 8,400 million pesos of the trunk gas pipeline work in the province.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

The map of the ten trunk duct systems had been divided into three groups. The first one assigned to the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The second to the construction company China Communications Construction Company and the Argentine construction company Iecsa S.A. And the third to the construction company China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau and the Argentine company Electroingeniería S.A.

One of the formalities that the province had to fulfill was to have the guarantees of the national government to access external financing and, at the same time, guarantee that debt with funds from the federal co-participation.

The works began on August 14 of this year by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. This was the only company awarded that presented own financing for the work and does not depend on loans from Chinese banks.

In the month of October, the province placed a debt for 150 million dollars to 10 years of term.

And now in December the Chinese investments were confirmed. The gas pipelines in the provincial interior that will be financed by loans from the two Chinese banks were awarded to the transitory union of companies that formed the Cordobesa Electroingeniería, the China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau and the port of Iecsa, in partnership with the Asian China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). In charge of the negotiation with the Chinese banks is the Minister of Investment and Financing Ricardo Sosa.

From FUNDEPS we are monitoring this project, we have met with officials of the Córdoba Agency for Investment and Financing (ACIF), and we have submitted requests for information to provincial and national ministries. The terms of the legislation that regulates access to knowledge of State acts have expired and there is still no response from the corresponding units.

The questions generated by a work of this magnitude are several. No details have been given of the agreements reached with Chinese banks, it has not been established how this project will effectively reach each of the municipalities involved, nor are the environmental impact reports known. From FUNDEPS, it will be sought that these infrastructure projects do not negatively impact the living conditions of the communities or the environment.

More information

Gas pipelines: Schiaretti reviewed with Prat Gay the progress of contracts with Chinese companies

Gas pipelines: the Nation signs guarantees for Chinese credits

Contact

Gonzalo Roza / Coordinator of the Global Governance Area

gon.roza@fundeps.org

 

Accompaniment to indigenous communities in Rurrenabaque, Bolivia

Part of the Global Governance area team traveled the first days of December to the city of Rurrenabaque in Bolivia. Meetings and tours were held in the area where infrastructure projects are being carried out by the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank in the area.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

 

The municipality of Rurrenabaque (located in the Department of Beni, Bolivia) is an important tourist center and small-scale agricultural production area, whose population, due to the need to export its products, has been forced to generate pressure on forests Natural. Rurrenabaque is adjacent to the National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area Madidi and the Biosphere Reserve and Community Land Pilón Lajas, where several indigenous communities live.

This region is characterized by its abundant richness and cultural and biological diversity that has led to the establishment of reserves and national parks, but which is also considered by many actors as an unexploited economic opportunity. This has led to the recent promotion of a series of infrastructure works (mainly the construction of important roads) in the vicinity of the protected areas of Madidi and Pilón Lajas, which represents a risk of negative environmental and social impacts Both for biodiversity and ecosystems and for the indigenous communities involved. Among these projects, the one financed by the Inter-American Development Bank is the improvement of the Santa Bárbara-Rurrenabaque highway.

On the other hand, the project financed by the World Bank consists of the Ixiamas – San Buenaventura highway located within the Northern Corridor area of ​​influence and is part of the Alternative Route to reach Cobija from the north of La Paz.

The Ixiamas-San Buenaventura highway within the regional context of the Corredor Norte highway megaproject represents one of the largest works in the Northwest region of Bolivia. The North Corridor is a road project of 1664 km of length linking in its extreme points to the cities of La Paz, Guayaramerin and Cobija. Its area of ​​influence extends over 234,000 km², approximately 26% of the territory of Bolivia, comprising 3 departments and 39 municipal jurisdictions.

The environmental and social impacts and threats to communities living in the area are increasingly serious. The situation in the area is complex and these roads coexist with other projects (financed mainly by Chinese funds) that represent even greater problems and challenges for indigenous communities in the area. From FUNDEPS, we will be collaborating with communities in the area to evaluate options to complain to mechanisms of accountability of international financial institutions. It will be sought that these projects do not negatively impact the environment and the living conditions of the communities.

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

Bogotá: Workshop on Mechanisms for Accountability and Civil Society

On December 5, the Workshop on Mechanisms for Accountability and Civil Society was held in Bogotá. The workshop was jointly organized by the Independent Accountability Mechanisms (IAMs) of the Inter-American Development Bank (Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism / MICI) and the World Bank Group (Inspection Panel and Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman CAO), in collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs), Environment and Society Association, and the Regional Group on Financing and Infrastructure (GREFI).

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

 

Independent accountability mechanisms were established to address the grievances of people affected by environmental and social impacts of development projects funded by multilateral institutions. Since CSOs sometimes work to support affected communities through capacity-building efforts and support in access resources, IAMs carry out proactive public outreach in collaboration with CSOs throughout Latin America to publicize Their services with civil society networks and that both sides can broaden their perspectives.

In this sense, the three main objectives of the event were:

– Allow Colombian CSOs to become more familiar with the IAMs and the conflict resolution and enforcement services they provide;

– To allow IAMs to expand their relationship with CSOs in Colombia, especially with local organizations and communities that are in populations potentially affected by projects; Y

– Provide a space for dialogue between IAMs and CSOs, in order to exchange experiences, reflections and points of view on accountability issues related to public and private sector development projects in Colombia.

The one-day workshop included presentations by the different IAMs about their services and examples of their work; CSO presentations on their experiences with the activation of the mechanisms, as well as tools to access project information; Small discussion groups related to the access and work of the IAMs and a broader discussion on the trends of accountability in Colombia.

Source: Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad

Contact

Juan Carballo, <juanmcarballo@fundeps.org>

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Call for nominations to form the ICIM External Consultative Group

The Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI – acronym in Spanish) of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) opened a calling on nominations for members of the Mechanism´s External Consultative Group (GCE – acronym in Spanish). Applications can be made until November 30, 2016.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

On November 3, and after a period of consultations that extended over the last months, the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB Group) opened the call for nominations to form the External Advisory Group (GCE) of the Mechanism. The purpose of the CGE is to support the ICIM’s commitment to fulfilling its accountability mandate in a credible, effective and transparent manner.

The MICI distributed the GCE Conceptual Note in early June 2016 to a wide range of stakeholder groups, including representatives of civil society, government officials and civil society experts. From Fundeps we contributed in this process sending comments and participating in a series of consultations regarding the Concept Note. While we recognized and welcomed this initiative, in part, in response to the suggestions provided in the publication “Glass Half Full: The state of accountability in development finance“; We also make a number of recommendations and suggestions regarding the membership, composition and objectives and functions of the CGE (for full comments on the CCE Concept Note sent to the ICIM, access here)

The MICI recently released the Report on the Consultation Process for the CGE, which contains all the feedback received and the ICIM’s replies. In turn, this feedback was incorporated into the CGE’s Operating Procedures, which contain information about membership composition, member responsibility, and the process for selecting members, including selection criteria.

Candidates interested in applying for the CGE must submit the following information:

– Curriculum vitae.

– An Interest expression of a page expressing the reason why they wish to serve in the CGE and how their experience will add value to the group.

The application must be sent no later than November 30 to John Garrison of MICI at jgarrison@iadb.org. The names and profiles of those selected as members of the CGE will be published in mid-December.

More information:

– Operational Procedures – MICI External Advisory Group (GCE) – October 3, 2016

– Conceptual Note for External Consultative Group. Draft Proposal for Consultation – June 6, 2016

– Comments on the Draft Conceptual Note for the formation of an ICIM External Advisory Group – July 29, 2016

– Report of the Consultation Process on the ICIM External Consultative Group – September 30, 2016

– Glass Half Full. The state of accountability in development finance – January 2016

– MICI website

Contact

Gonzalo Roza / Coordinator of the Global Governance Area

gon.roza@fundeps.org

Chinese investments in Argentina: the aqueducts in Entre Ríos

Within the long list of Chinese investments in Argentina, the case of aqueducts in the province of Entre Ríos has been one of the most controversial. Irregularities in the bidding process, approval and execution of the project have aroused the suspicion and the demands of various sectors of civil society.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

 

In a changing international context, in which the most important actors have been changing, Argentina has encountered difficulties in accessing traditional sources of financing. Over the last few years, especially since the Kirchner administration, the scenario of foreign investment in Argentina has been marked by the preponderance of the PRC. Several of the major infrastructure projects that are being carried out are behind the backing of Asian companies.

There are two projects that have been working between the Nation and the province of Entre Ríos for some years and had to do with the possibility of building two aqueducts for irrigation in the north of Entre Ríos. For the construction of these, the provincial government and the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) signed a commitment letter for the supply of fresh water, incorporating 200,000 hectares of irrigation.

In mid-June 2013 the CSCEC expressed its interest in investing in infrastructure works in the province of Entre Ríos. During a meeting with representatives of the company, developed at the House of Entre Ríos in Buenos Aires, Governor Sergio Urribarri “proposed three basic lines of action: irrigation works, Paraná-Santa Fe metropolitan link and port development.” According to the governor, the development of the works would be linked to a great extent to increase the productive capacity of the province.

The agreement with China for the construction of the two aqueducts was signed on July 18, 2014. Within the framework of strategic agreements for infrastructure works, signed in the Casa Rosada between Xi Jinping and Cristina Fernadez de Kirchner, meeting in which Urribarri participated.

The aqueducts will have a total length of 546 kilometers between main branch and secondary branches. Two works, the first in the Arroyo Mandisoví basin in the Federation department to implement a collective irrigation system, from the Uruguay River, for rice, citrus and fruit-horticultural production. The second in the department of La Paz to build an aqueduct of the North Entre Ríos, with the contribution of water from the Paraná River and provide a marginal area of ​​access to water for irrigation.

The costs of the works total an amount close to USD 98,000,000, according to the data presented by the “Provincial Agricultural Services Program” in its feasibility reports of which the province should contribute 20%. However, the budget of the CSCEC was USD 430,387,552 awarded without competitive bidding. Funding would come from ICBC, with a credit of USD 366 million at 15 years (with a grace period of 5) with a LIBOR rate of 4.5%. Likewise, the credit agreement provides as applicable law the same as that of England.

The project provoked rejections in some sectors, such as the organizations nucleated within the Multisectoral in Defense of the Heritage of the Entrerrianos, which promoted the nullity of the law that, among other points, enabled the direct granting, without public bidding, of the work to A Chinese capital company, as well as a debt exceeding $ 430 million. The M’biguá Foundation and Environmental Justice also warned about the lack of transparency and information about the project.

The case of aqueducts is the first to reach justice. As discussed above, the Multisectoral for the Defense of the Patrimony of the Entrerrianos presented an unconstitutionality action with respect to the law No. 10.352 that authorized the Provincial Executive to become indebted to the financial institution of China. This action is based on the fact that this law has not fulfilled the formal requirements that the provincial constitution urges for its approval, for example: there was no Environmental Impact Assessment, there is no opinion from the commissions of Finance and Economy, or the prosecution Of state, among other irregularities. The total lack of controls in the legislative process, the treatment on tables of the norm, the absence of debate on the subject and, especially, the secrecy with which the government was managed not to make known the project, is another aspect Demand.

Among the main points of the complete demand are:

– Ineffectiveness of Law 10.352 for irregularities in its processing.

– Non-observance of the principle of reasonableness.

Authorization to the Governor to agree and keep secret the contract with the Chinese Bank.

– Authorization to the Governor to contract with the Chinese Bank ICBC a loan in which Entre Ríos accepts to be governed by the English legislation.

– Violation of the constitutional duty to publicize acts of government.

– Deprivation of information as a human right.

– The previous and precautionary implementation of Environmental Impact Studies and its evaluation processes with the due Public Hearings and the dictating of the Administrative Acts prior to the authorization of contracting of the work and the authorization of the conclusion of investment agreements and / Or indebtedness.

– Violation of the Public Accounting Law. (Arrogating thus the P.E. unconstitutionally own powers of the Legislative Power).

– Violation of the Public Works Law.

– The constitutional guarantees contained in Section II – Economic, Labor and Sustainable Development of the Provincial Constitution were ignored.

According to local media: “From a commission of five million dollars that the provincial state must pay for the operation, up to the costs not calculated of interest, expropriation of land for the work and other costs, contemplating also the implementation of increases Tributary to cover the payment of the credit, the economic questions to the norm are numerous. The first of these, in any case, is the amount of the credit: nobody understands very well how the entrerriano government arrived to calculate both works by more than 430 million dollars when Prosap had budgeted, some months before, less than 100 million” .

According to Jorge Daneri, a member of the M’biguá Foundation, a package of potential mega investments in the region is being formed which, in addition to the aqueducts, would include a hydroelectric dam project between the provinces of Corrientes and Santa Fe on the northern border Of Entre Ríos. According to Dr. Daneri, the mechanism is the same in all projects: there is no parliamentary debate on the projects, let alone in the provinces involved, therefore, the silence of federalism of social consultation and citizen consultation.

From FUNDEPS we have been working on the follow-up of the case of trunk gas pipelines in the province of Cordoba, which also have Chinese funding. Part of the process of approval and execution of this project, can be identified with what happened in Entre Ríos. The lack of transparency in certain issues such as the presentation and publication of the environmental impact study, sound an alarm with respect to environmental standards and DD.HH.

In addition, we consider it of special importance to highlight that the recent importance of the People’s Republic of China in terms of investments in infrastructure projects translates into a need for civil society to monitor the design, approval and implementation processes of these projects. The irregularities mentioned above are the result of policies that still lack transparency and are not part of a accountability paradigm.

More information

A Chinese Agreement

Entre Ríos: “with the pretext of building two aqueducts is to consummate a very large swindle”

Law of aqueducts: filed suit against the “scam” of Urribarri

Law of aqueducts: the Multisectorial will collect signatures to repeal the text

Mid Paraná Dam, aqueducts and China, the spring of hope

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Civil society organizations call for transparency in World Bank safeguards review

On Thursday 26 May, FUNDEPS and other 68 civil society organizations from different countries, signed a letter asked World Bank management to maintain transparency throughout the ongoing review of its environmental and social policies.

Transcurridos cuatro años desde el inicio del proceso de revisión, el Banco Mundial no ha dejado claro en qué momento se hará público el borrador de su nueva política de salvaguardas. Esto impide que la sociedad civil pueda observar el borrador final antes de la deliberación final del Directorio para su aprobación, a pesar que en los últimos años muchos de estos actores aportaron sus percepciones y recomendaciones al procedimiento.

El pasado jueves 26 de mayo, en una carta enviada al Directorio Ejecutivo del Banco, 69 organizaciones – incluyendo a FUNDEPS – demandaron que el borrador final del Nuevo Marco Ambiental y Social sea divulgado públicamente de manera previa a la deliberación de su aprobación por parte del Directorio. Lo cual resultaría consistente con la Política de Acceso a la Información del Banco. La carta enfatiza que la nueva política de salvaguardas tendrá una enorme implicancia en  el nivel de protección de los derechos humanos y la integridad medioambiental en todos los proyectos de desarrollo financiados por la Institución. Muchas de las cuestiones que se debaten en esta revisión son centrales en la agenda de desarrollo global actual, incluyendo el derecho a la tierra, la protección de los bosques y los hábitats naturales, el cambio climático, y la no discriminación e inclusión.

Esperamos recibir una respuesta satisfactoria de la Institución, ya que la divulgación del borrador de manera previa a su consideración por el Directorio dotaría de mayor transparencia a un proceso que fue fuertemente criticado desde sus inicios por parte de la sociedad civil. Para acceder a la carta enviada al Banco (en inglés) acceder aquí.

Más información:

Contacto:

Gonzalo Roza – Coordinador del Área de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org

New 2015 Annual Report

We are pleased to introduce our 2015 Annual Report, a brief summary of our activities and achievements of the past year.

During 2015, FUNDEPS has grown both internally and externally. Our volunteers have been doubled and our activities have been diversified. We hopefully expect this year, in order to keep growing up and developing politic incidence.

To access to the Report click here: informe2015.fundeps.org, or you can find it on our website in the “About Fundeps” Section.