Will Uzbekistan benefit from ratification of the Aarhus Convention?
November 14, 2025
In 2025, Uzbekistan finally acceded to the Aarhus Convention, becoming the last Central Asian state to ratify the treaty.
Corridor Vc in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Environmental and social impacts can no longer be ignored
October 17, 2025
The EU’s flagship infrastructure project in Bosnia and Herzegovina – the 330-kilometre Corridor Vc motorway – now stands at a critical crossroads. To date, only one-third of the corridor has been completed, financed through more than EUR 3 billion in loans and grants from the EU, the EIB, and the EBRD.
Highway of injustice: How EIB-financed East–West road projects in Georgia impact local communities
October 13, 2025
In 2021, the European Investment Bank approved EUR 106.7 million in funding for two major highway projects in southern Georgia. Field research revealed significant social and environmental issues in the affected municipalities.
The EBRD’s first Impact Report: A welcome step, but does it tell the whole story?
July 10, 2025
In May 2025, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) released its first-ever Impact Report. With EUR 16.6 billion invested in 584 projects in 2024, the report highlights ambitious claims: reductions in emissions, boosts to human capital, and support for inclusive economies. But as we dig deeper, a familiar issue re-emerges: the gap between institutional ambition and on-the-ground reality.
The EBRD starts its impact reporting journey: How can it deliver meaningful results?
July 7, 2025
In May 2025, the EBRD published its first-ever Impact Report, showcasing the impact of EUR 16.6 billion invested across 584 projects on real-world change. Although shifting the focus from activities to impacts is important, the report falls short in several key areas.
COMMENT: Amid shrinking civic space, will the EBRD still uphold its democratic mandate?
June 6, 2025
As the EBRD expands its operations into new regions, including sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq, will it stay true to its founding mission, and place democracy and civic participation at the heart of its approach?
Joint civil society statement: Urgent call on the IFC and the EBRD for remedy and accountability at Indorama Agro in Uzbekistan
April 3, 2025
89 civil society organizations signed a joint statement calling on the IFC and the EBRD to ensure remedy and accountability, for the severe and systemic violations at Indorama Agro cotton project in Uzbekistan.
Outcome undisclosed: EIB Group Complaints Mechanism leaves Corridor Vc complainants in the dark
March 21, 2025
This case study summarises the circumstances of the complaints against the project, the conclusions of the EIB Complaints Mechanism, the outcomes and recommendations for the next review of the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism Policy.
The EBRD has set new human rights standards: Will they improve the lives of millions?
March 5, 2025
This story explores the changes that the EBRD has made to its revised safeguards, with a particular focus on human rights due diligence. Strengthening this aspect, particularly the EBRD’s weak enforcement of client requirements, has long been a key priority for Bankwatch and has informed the collective advocacy efforts of many other civil society organisations.
Countering shrinking space: How multilateral development banks can empower civil society in the Western Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia
February 25, 2025
This report examines how multilateral development banks have failed to adequately protect civil society in the Caucasus, Western Balkans, and Central Asia.
