WASHINGTON, August 24, 2020— Recently, questions have been raised regarding the impartiality of the World Bank’s activities in Zambia and our institution’s role in hiring project-level staff.
The World Bank remains committed to act with complete impartiality and transparency in its engagements in Zambia. As per our articles of agreement, the Bank and its officers do not interfere in the political affairs of any country.
The World Bank does not recruit project staff. Recruitment of such staff is purely the responsibility of the government ministry in charge of the project. As such, project staff in World Bank-supported projects are not employees of the World Bank, but employees of the government ministry that hired them. Any grievances with regards to the conduct of such staff or any questions about specific staff members must be brought to the attention of the government ministry in charge.
The World Bank is a key partner of the Government of the Republic of Zambia in its development agenda, and our support is articulated in our Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for the period 2019–2023. Aligned with the governments National Development Plans, the CPF focuses on three pillars: i) promoting opportunities and jobs for the rural poor, ii) investing in human capital, and iii) building resilience through a portfolio of 14 projects for a total commitment of $1.2 billion.
