Draft Report for Public Comment and Consultation
This draft report is a product of the independent Task Force engaged by the Boards of IBRD and IDA (World or the Bank), IFC, and MIGA (the Boards) to develop options and recommendations regarding the potential integration of the World Bank Group’s (WBG’s) Independent Accountability Mechanisms.
In line with its mandate and proposed approach and timeline, the Task Force has produced this draft report addressing the overarching questions of what components of the WBG independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs) might be most useful to integrate; how extensive the integration be and; how the process of integration proceed. This work has been guided by a review of relevant literature and extensive consultations with the leadership and staff of the WBG IAMs, IAM’s requesters/complainants – who are the direct beneficiaries and users of these mechanisms- CSOs who work with requesters/complainants, and WBG private and public sector clients- who are also parties in the IAM process.
The Task Force also carried out broad consultations with Bank, IFC and MIGA Boards, management and staff; subject matter experts; academics; former leadership and staff of the WBG IAMs; and IAMs from other multilateral development banks (MDBs).
The Task Force draft report is being disclosed for public consultation purposes only. It has not been endorsed by the WBG’s Boards and remains subject to further review and changes.
Submission of Written Comments on the Draft Report
The Task Force invites interested parties to submit comments and observations on the Draft Report by April 25, 2026. The information collected during this public consultation period will inform the Task Force’s final report. Written comments and questions should be sent to IAMIntegrationTF@worldbank.org. The identify of parties submitting comments will be kept confidential. By providing comments, parties acknowledge and accept the foregoing.
Public Consultation on the Draft Report
To address questions and hear feedback on the draft report, the Task Force will also hold an in-person conversation on April 13 with civil society organizations (CSOs) attending the Spring Meetings and host webinars on the dates listed below.
The upcoming webinars will be conducted in English, and AI-powered translation and transcription will be provided in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Please select your preferred webinar date from the choices below by Monday, April 6, 2026. Please make sure to select one of the dates for your stakeholder group.
Complainants/Requesters/CSOs/Other
• Monday April 13 from 8:00-10:00 PM US EST
• Monday, April 20 from 8:00-10:00 AM US EST
World Bank Group private and public sector clients
• Friday, April 10 from 8:00-10:00AM US EST
• Tuesday, April 14 from 8:00-10:00 PM US EST
Note: Considering the relevance of the Targeted Review of the CAO Policy to external stakeholders who are also interested in the work of the Task Force, the Task Force and the Targeted Review team will coordinate on stakeholder consultation to the fullest extent possible.
The Boards of the World Bank, IFC, and MIGA (collectively referred to as the World Bank Group Boards) have established a Task Force comprised of Charles Di Leva and David Fairman to develop options and recommendations regarding the potential integration of the World Bank Group’s (WBG’s) independent accountability mechanisms (IAMs): the World Bank Accountability Mechanism (comprised of the Inspection Panel (IPN) and Dispute Resolution Service (DRS)) and the IFC/MIGA Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO). The objectives of the Task Force are to conduct an assessment and provide options and recommendations that will enable the WBG Boards to make informed decisions concerning whether, and if so, how to best integrate the IAMs.
Acknowledging the potential risks and costs of integration, both during the process of integration and in post-integration effectiveness, the WBG Boards have asked the Task Force to adhere to the following principles when developing its integration options and recommendations:
- Improved effectiveness of the IAMs in their ability to serve project-affected communities, borrowers/clients, and the WBG, including the Board.
- No regression of policies and mandates while taking care to keep the strengths of each mechanism and not weaken accountability.
- Safeguard the independence of the IAMs.
- Enhance the leadership of the IAMs in the field.
- Sufficient resourcing and cost-effectiveness.
Key Questions
The Task Force will aim to address the following over-arching substantive questions throughout its work:
1) What IAM components might be most useful to integrate?
2) How extensive should integration be?
3) How might the process of integration proceed?
Task Force Work Plan and Consultation Process
To carry out its work, the Task Force is expected to consult with WBG Board members, work closely with the leadership of the three IAMs as well as World Bank, IFC and MIGA management, individually and through an internal expert group; and consult with IAM requesters/complainants, WBG clients, and independent experts on IAMs, dispute resolution and compliance, primarily through an external Reference Group.
The Task Force is following this work plan to meet its objectives and address the key questions:
- September - December 2025: Gather input and information on integration Issues; organize Reference Group and other channels for external stakeholder input
- January - February 2026: Hold external consultation sessions (via webinars) for complainants/requesters and civil society organizations (CSOs) that work directly with them; World Bank borrower governments; IFC clients and MIGA guarantee holders
- February - March 2026: Produce a draft report for Board consideration
- April 2026: Hold public consultations on the draft report
- May 2026: Produce the final report