Whether in Europe or beyond, public money must not become an auxiliary for human rights violations or the marginalisation of affected communities.
We expose cases where development banks fail to protect those impacted by their projects.
We advocate for participation and consultation processes that are not pro-forma exercises, but a tool to ensure people’s well-being.
We run a helpdesk where activists and communities can get advice on how to challenge controversial projects being considered for funding by development banks.
Close to frontline communities
We’re in direct contact with affected communities and provide updates from their struggles.
Image (c) Rosa Vroom
IN FOCUS
The Reconstruction of Ukraine
The scale of destruction caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has been staggering. To repair the damage, joint efforts to coordinate donations and properly plan Ukraine’s reconstruction must start as soon as possible.
A successful reconstruction of Ukraine cannot happen without involvement of the Ukrainian people. That’s why we’re calling on international donors to ensure that the financial structures to help impacted communities are put in place and that civil society groups have a say in this process.
We believe that Ukraine and the international community have a unique opportunity to modernise the country while addressing people’s needs and long-term sustainability.
Amulsar gold mine, Armenia
The controversial Amulsar gold mine near the touristic spa town of Jermuk was supported by the EBRD equity investments, but blocked by locals after the velvet revolution in 2018. In spite of a number of legal threats and intimidation by the company, the blockade continued till the eruption of military conflict overNagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) at the end of 2020.
Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP), Ukraine
The leading Ukrainian agribusiness giant has been enjoying generous support in public funds and national subsidies. With over half a billion euros from the EBRD, EIB and the IFC, Myronivsky Hliboproduct PJSC (MHP) has grown into a near monopolist in poultry production. While MHP’s vertically integrated model has contributed to its status as a leading Ukrainian agribusiness, the scale and nature of its business have also contributed to mounting concerns about its social and environmental impacts. These concerns are compounded by patterns of poor community consultation and a lack of information provided about MHP’s operations, leaving project-affected people guessing about the true impacts of its operations.
Corridor Vc motorway, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Bosnian section of the international Corridor Vc is planned to run for 330 km through Bosnia and Herzegovina. Concerns about environmental impacts and threats to cultural heritage were raised by local people and cultural figures. The public discussions about the project have led to a series of scandals and a deadlock of the motorway’s development.
Our past projects
ARCHIVED: Minerals mining and supply chains
Global demand for minerals and other critical raw materials is intensified by the just transition to renewable energy and the digital transformation agenda. Therefore sustainable supply chains of minerals are fundamental to addressing the climate crisis and the Covid-19 crisis that humanity is facing today. The European Union needs to innovate and find solutions to achieve its circular economy and resource use reduction objectives and to meet the demand of EU’s industry and consumers, while still protecting communities and nature threatened by mining.
ARCHIVED: Export Credit Agencies (ECAs)
With many billions of dollars at their disposal, export credit agency finance far outpaces that of development banks and yet avoids the same public scrutiny. Most money flows into large infrastructure projects in politically-volatile countries that oft
ARCHIVED: Kresna gorge / Struma motorway, Bulgaria
The Struma motorway is tragically emblematic of an EU-funded project that has wrought havoc on European biodiversity and the wishes of local communities. In spite of two decades of protest by civil society and citizens, part of the Struma motorway section is planned directly through the Kresna gorge, a Natura 2000 site and Bulgaria’s richest biodiversity hotspot.
Latest news
Civil society calls on public development banks to overhaul their approach to development
Press release | 4 September, 2023As a member of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development, Bankwatch has joined civil society organisations and human rights defenders from over 20 countries in calling for immediate and effective action from public development banks.
Read moreThe Georgian Road to Russia: when everything goes south
Blog entry | 3 August, 2023The North-South Corridor, widely promoted by international financial institutions, aims to facilitate the transport of goods as the ‘only land access to the Russian Federation’, as well as to Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan, running through Georgia. Yet the project impacts the cultural heritage of picturesque landscapes in Georgia without answering the major question raised Georgian taxpayers – why should they pay for a new road to Russia, a country that does not have diplomatic relations with Georgia, has occupied Georgian territories, and presents one of the major obstacles to Georgia’s European future?
Read moreAdriatic Metals’ ruthless mining: How can the EBRD help improve its clients’ practices when it doesn’t follow its own standards?
Blog entry | 27 July, 2023The DFF Adriatic Metals project, located between the towns of Vareš and Kakanj in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is proclaimed by the investor to be setting new benchmarks for sustainable mining and committing to safety, community, and sustainability – claims not shared by people living in Kakanj.
Read moreRelated publications
Local budgets and the reconstruction of Ukraine
Briefing | 30 November, 2023 | Download PDFIn the first part of the series ‘Ukrainian communities at the forefront of reconstruction efforts: Financial sources and their accessibility for municipalities’, we examine the problems of access to finance for reconstruction at the community level and explore the possibilities of financing the needs of municipalities through extra-budgetary funding, including international financial institutions.
Media briefing on the Ukraine Facility
Media briefing | 17 October, 2023 | Download PDFOn 17 October 2023, the European Parliament voted on amendments to the Ukraine Facility, a EUR 50 billion reconstruction fund for Ukraine.
A call to defend the independence of accountability mechanisms
Advocacy letter | 9 October, 2023 | Download PDFBankwatch joins other community advocates around the world in sounding the alarm about growing threats to the independence of accountability mechanisms attached to international financial institutions and other development agencies.
