Monitoring of Participation in World Bank Supported Projects - Policy Work - The Ghana Country Assistance Strategy - 1997
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Date
1998-09
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ISODEC Ghana
Abstract
After years of debate the World Bank has come to recognise the importance of stakeholder participation for ensuring good outcomes of its project and policy reform lending. Consequently, the Bank has made overtures to borrower governments and civil society organisations regarding participation as contained in the participation handbook and similar documentation recently emerging from the Bank. Whilst these documents may have made some progress in relation to project lending, the perception is that this is less so in relation to the Bank's policy-making processes such as the Country Assistance Strategies (CAS) and the development of Policy Framework Papers (PFP) led by the IMF.
Description
The World Bank has increasingly acknowledged the importance of stakeholder participation in achieving successful project and policy outcomes. While efforts like the Participation Handbook have influenced project lending, concerns remain about limited participation in broader policy-making processes like the Country Assistance Strategies (CAS) and Policy Framework Papers (PFP). At a major NGO meeting in Ghana, African civil society questioned the Bank’s true commitment to transparency and inclusive decision-making. NGOs raised fears that tools like CAS may override national development planning. In response, Bank leadership reaffirmed their support for participatory processes at all levels.
Keywords
Civil Society Involvement, Participation Handbook, Public Consultation, Information Access, Inclusive Governance