THE Board of Executive Directors at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), on November 4, launched a plan to update the Bank’s Access to Information Policy.
As part of this process, the IDB will hold public consultations in two phases, which opened on Friday and will extend through approximately May 2020.

The policy update aims to reaffirm the IDB’s commitment to transparency, and to strengthen corporate governance and accountability. The IDB will also incorporate new disclosure standards adopted by other international financial institutions. The new policy will also increase the amount of information disclosed and aims to make disclosure more proactive and predictable.

The IDB last updated its Access to Information Policy in 2011, adopting a new approach to disclosure based on maximum access to information.

The IDB’s implementation of disclosure policies has improved continuously over the years. A ranking of access-to-information programs by Publish What You Fund, the global campaign for transparency in aid and development, is a testament to that progress, having placed the IDB in the highest category.

To further strengthen the IDB’s culture of openness, the Bank is inviting all interested parties to participate in the public consultation process and offer feedback about how it can improve its Access to Information Policy.

To engage the widest possible audience, the IDB will carry out web-based consultations and in-person meetings in Washington, DC, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Interested individuals and institutions can register online to receive updates, offer feedback and, soon, see additional details about the face-to-face meetings. They can also participate anonymously.