The Inter-American Development Bank has appointed five independent experts to the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (ICIM). The panelists will verify the Bank is complying with its commitments and its operational policies.
The appointment complements the nomination in September of Isabel Lavadenz-Paccieri as Project Ombudsperson of the ICIM.
The specialists, who were appointed by the Board of Executive Directors, will be in charge of the compliance and verification phase of ICIM, for all cases that could not be fully resolved by the Ombudsman during the consultation and mediation fase of the project.
The Panel will be chaired by Werner Kiene and include four additional members: Gilberto Amaya, Mary Rose Brusewitz, Mario Epstein and Korinna Horta.
Among its tasks, the panel will research and investigate complaints and submit a report to the Board of Executive Directors on whether there was harm caused by projects or initiatives funded by the IDB. If requested, the panel will monitor implementation of decisions taken by the Board.
The chairperson leads all investigations for a non-renewable term of three years. For each case, the chairperson invites two members of the panel to form a three-member investigative team to begin the phase of verification of compliance.
The ICIM is an institutional resource that allows project beneficiaries to voice their concerns or complaints and seek solutions in a consensual manner to promote compliance with environmental and social policies of the Bank. It is part of the reforms enacted to make the IDB a Better Bank. The ICIM started operations in September 2010.