Blog

Accountability Counsel was recently elected to join the OECD Watch Coordination Committee (CC).  OECD Watch, a global network of non-governmental organizations that advocates for the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, voted for Accountability Counsel along with two other organizations to serve in the three-year CC positions.

Accountability Counsel submitted comments today to Secretary of State John Kerry as part of the development of the U.S. National Action Plan (NAP) on Responsible Business Conduct.

Haitian communities and organizations filed a complaint with the World Bank regarding Bank-supported activities to develop Haiti’s mining sector today. The complaint alleges that the Haitian populace has been left out of World Bank-funded efforts by the Haitian government to draft new mining legislation intended to attract foreign investors to…

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the creation of a new dispute resolution mechanism on January 1, 2015.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has just released a revised policy (Español) governing its Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism.  Accountability Counsel played a lead role in advocating for policy changes and submitted comments as part of the review process.  Our analysis of will be coming soon here.

Late last night, President Obama signed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, which includes provisions in an explanatory statement requiring the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to address serious accountability gaps revealed in an investigation report regarding a failed biomass project in Liberia.

WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 22, 2014—On Tuesday, December 16, 2014, President Obama signed the FY2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill[1] into law, securing a victory for communities in Liberia and environmental and human rights advocates. The law includes provisions in an explanatory statement that hold the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) accountable…

Accountability Counsel’s South Asia Director Komala Ramachandra and Policy Director Kindra Mohr attended the third annual UN Global Forum for Business and Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.

Last week, the accountability office of the Inter-American Development (IDB) found our Colombia case eligible for compliance review.  Accountability Counsel has been assisting Comunidades Unidas, a community-based organization located in the locality of Fontibón, Bogotá, in their complaint regarding serious noise pollution caused by the IDB-funded expansion of the El Dorado International Airport.

Last week, five Haitian organizations, with assistance from Accountability Counsel and the NYU School of Law Global Justice Clinic, submitted a letter to the World Bank expressing serious concerns with the Bank’s involvement in the Haitian mining sector.

Today, Accountability Counsel submitted comments on a new draft international standard of best practices for mining industry projects. The standard, which is being developed by the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), includes requirements that all mining projects maintain a project-level grievance mechanism to review and address complaints from affected communities, and that each grievance mechanism meet certain criteria.

The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) recently released a revealing independent investigation report describing its role a failed biomass project that harmed hundreds of Liberian farmers, charcoal producers and workers.

Oct. 15, 2014—A U.S. federal agency, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (“OPIC”) recently released a revealing independent investigation report describing its role in a failed biomass project in Liberia. OPIC approved over US$200 million in financing for the project, operated by Buchanan Renewables. Read full press release here.

We are pleased to share our new brochure, “Mexico: The Cerro de Oro Project”, which reports on the historic victory in this Accountability Counsel case.  Accountability Counsel supported three communities in Oaxaca, Mexico in their efforts to prevent the Cerro de Oro Hydroelectric Project from causing contamination of their drinking water and fishing areas, and other threats to their livelihoods and culture.  To read more about the case, please visit our Cerro de Oro case page.

Today, Accountability Counsel submitted a report to the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United States.  Our submission focuses on actions that the U.S. should take to promote access to remedy for business-related human rights abuse, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.  Read more on our UPR policy page.

Accountability Counsel, along with a coalition of other groups throughout Latin America and beyond, registered our deep concerns with the latest revision of the Policy governing the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) accountability mechanism, the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (ICIM).

Accountability Counsel is pleased to welcome two new Board members to our team, Shashi Buluswar and Julia Shepardson.  Both come to us with decades of diverse experience in global issues and development, as well as expertise in strategy and non-profit management. Please join us in welcoming Shashi and Julia!

Today, Accountability Counsel provided comments in a public consultation by the UN Working Group on business and human rights, highlighting the issues States need to address in their National Action Plans in order to improve access to remedy.  In particular, States have a duty to ensure access to remedy for…

Accountability Counsel and 12 other organizations from around the world submitted comments to the African Development Bank’s review of its accountability office policy.  Our comments advocate for simpler and more straight-forward procedures to improve the accountability office’s accessibility to people who have been harmed by African Development Bank projects.  Read more in our full submission.  More information about our advocacy at the African Development Bank is available here.

On August 27, 2014, Accountability Counsel and 20 civil society organization from around the world jointly submitted a letter to World Bank President Kim and Inspection Panel Chair Eimi Watanabe, requesting suspension of the Panel’s “Pilot Program” that prevents cases from reaching full investigations into social and environmental compliance issues.  Read more here.