The African Development Bank Group has launched a six-month campaign to sensitize its internal and external stakeholders on its new Whistleblowing Policy, approved by the Boards of Directors in January this year.
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.
The bank’s Boards 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.
In 2007, a review of the Bank’s whistle blowing 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 (D-Vt.) and Richard Lugar (R-In.) 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.”
Speaking at the launch of the Whistleblowing Policy sensitization campaign at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan on Tuesday 25 April, Paula Santos-Da Costa, Director of the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption, stated: “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.
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”.
The African Development Bank Group Whistleblowing Policy 2023 can be downloaded from the Bank’s website in English and French.
