AfDB launches whistleblowing policy to enhance transparency 

By Cynthia Ezekwe 

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), has launched a six-month campaign to sensitise its internal and external stakeholders on its new whistleblowing Policy, approved by the boards of directors in January 2023, to enhance transparency.

The multilateral development finance institution headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, rolled out  the whistleblowing and complaints handling policy, as an avenue for raising concerns related to prohibited practices and to protect whistleblowers from retaliation,in order to enhance good governance and transparency.

The new policy sets additional standards, by bringing the bank’s board members and elected officials under the disciplinary scope of the policy where they are found to have threatened or participated in retaliation against any internal or external party reporting fraud and corruption in bank operations, or assisting in audits, investigations and disciplinary processes.

AfDB disclosed that the Whistleblowing Policy 2023 builds on a 2007 policy, which at the time was widely considered as progressive and reflective of the value the bank group places on the contribution of whistleblowers to its anti-corruption processes, and its zero tolerance of any retaliation against them.

 In 2007, a review of the Bank’s whistleblowing policy by the United States-based Government Accountability Project (GAP) indicated that the African Development Bank was the first multilateral development bank to substantially comply with the whistleblower transparency reforms authored by senators Patrick Leahy,and Richard Lugar, and approved in an October 2005 U.S. appropriations law. GAP described the 2007 policy as setting a new standard for protecting staff members and others from retaliation when they report fraud or corruption and  guaranteeing employment for vindicated whistleblowers who suffer retaliation.

As an avenue to enhance its ability to protect external whistleblowers, the new policy classifies retaliation by external parties within the context of AfDB-financed operations as obstructive practices, which are subject to debarment under the Bank’s sanctions system.

In light of  the above, the new policy ensures that AfDB will continue to protect natural persons or entities, who make disclosures of fraud or corruption in good faith;  refuse to violate the law by making public disclosures; challenge national or international illegality, as well as abuse of authority, mismanagement, gross waste, or substantial health or safety threats; and those who are  mistakenly identified as whistleblowers, including AfDB staff and consultants, private citizens, development partners, non-governmental organisations, professional bodies, government officials and officials of other international financial institutions, and employees of vendors and contractors participating in AfDB-financed projects, by making the guarantees of whistleblower rights by employers, a contract condition.

The new whistleblower policy also ensures due process guarantees by providing interim relief to persons impacted by retaliation pending the final determination of their grievances; protecting the rights of whistleblowers to seek recourse against decisions made by the bank; protecting the anonymity of whistleblowers by maintaining confidentiality in its processes, and protecting the rights of whistleblowers to be notified of the status of their submissions.

The bank’s board of directors have further committed to reviewing the new policy in 2028, after five years of implementation, taking into consideration implementation reports and feedback from stakeholders.

Speaking at the launch of the whistleblowing policy sensitisation campaign at the bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Paula Santos-Da Costa, director of the office of integrity and anti-Corruption, noted that the campaign will be implemented over a six-month period in the Bank’s headquarters, regional and country offices and in regional member countries.”

Santos-Da Costa, the bank’s designated chief whistleblower protection officer, said the campaign will be carried out through a variety of activities including, installation of information desks, dissemination of information, education and communication materials such as fact sheets and FAQs, adding that the  campaign will also engage beneficiary communities hosting Bank-financed projects, civil society organisations, relevant professional bodies, contractors and government officials involved in project implementation.

The director further stated that an internal guideline has been developed and issued to ensure the strategic and efficient implementation of the Whistleblowing Policy 2023.