Recommendations for the Implementation of OVE’s Evaluation of MICI from Civil Society Organizations

A statement by civil society organizations providing recommendations for the implementation of the Office of Evaluations and Oversight's (OVE) evaluation of the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group.

• Civil society organizations argue that the requirement for complainants to first engage with Bank Management before accessing MICI is a problematic barrier that should be repealed. They note that prior contact with Management is a primary reason for the non-acceptance of requests and that Management's responses have been inconsistent, delayed, or nonexistent.
• The document supports the repeal of the 'legal exclusion' effective July 1, 2021, asserting that the existence of national legal proceedings should not prevent MICI from examining the IDB Group's compliance with its own environmental and social safeguards.
• To ensure independence, the authors recommend that MICI be granted the authority to determine when to undertake investigations without requiring Board approval. They argue that the current need for Board approval has compromised the mechanism's independence and can lead to contentious processes between MICI and Management.
• The authors highlight a systemic failure to provide remedy to project-affected people even after MICI finds noncompliance and associated harm. They cite a 2011 case involving the El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, where despite findings of safeguard violations causing health issues like chronic insomnia and hearing damage, the IDB Board decided implementation was not within its control, leaving communities without redress.
• The document recommends that the Bank codify the requirement for MICI to include recommendations for remedying harm and for Management to prepare corrective action plans whenever noncompliance is found. It also suggests establishing remedy contingency funds to address systemic obstacles to corrective action.
• The authors criticize MICI's reliance on a consultancy model for personnel, noting that short-term contracts for case officers, analysts, and assistants impair institutional memory and continuity. They recommend shifting toward permanent staff positions to improve capacity and reduce case processing delays.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Recommendations for the Implementation of OVE’s Evaluation of MICI from Civil Society Organizations. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/civil-society-response-to-ove-mici.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Recommendations for the Implementation of OVE’s Evaluation of MICI from Civil Society Organizations. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/civil-society-response-to-ove-mici.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Recommendations for the Implementation of OVE’s Evaluation of MICI from Civil Society Organizations |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/civil-society-response-to-ove-mici.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndrecommendations, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Recommendations for the Implementation of OVE’s Evaluation of MICI from Civil Society Organizations}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/civil-society-response-to-ove-mici.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }