In this episode, our guest Ramanie Kunanayagam, Chairperson of The World Bank Inspection Panel, had discussion with Jaffer Latief Najar, sharing her insights on on the issues of accountability of the World Bank funded development projects, the role of Inspection Panel and its 30 years of learning, and critical reflections to the way forward.

Ramanie Kunanayagam, a Sri Lankan-born Australian citizen, is current Chairperson of The World Bank Inspection Panel. She brings to the Panel three decades of experience across diverse geopolitical and multicultural environments in the private and public sectors. She has held leadership positions in sustainability in both the private sector (working for two FTSE 10 companies) and the nonprofit sector.Before joining the Panel, she was the Global Head for Social Performance and Human Rights for BG Group. She has been a member of the boards of two international non-profit development organizations—RESOLVE and the Institute of Human Rights and Business. Her appointment as a secondee to the World Bank very early in her career also gives her insight into and knowledge of the organization’s operations that complement the expertise she has developed working alongside civil society, multilaterals, bilaterals and communities affected by World Bank projects.

In this episode, Jaffer Latief Najar asks the following questions to Ramanie Kunanayagam:

1.What is the World Bank Inspection Panel. What is the purpose and goal of its establishment, and how and when it was established. Can you please share with us about the historical background of The World Bank Inspection Panel and the context behind its birth. 

2.How the inspection panel engages with the cases of World Bank funded projects that seems to have damaging or negative impact on local communities and environment at the project sites. What is the procedure for selection of cases for inspection and accountability? 

3.What is the methodology of Inspection Panel to check, inspect, examine, and enquire about the consequences of the World Bank Projects. Who are the people involved in the inspection process

4.Are the reports and recommendations of Inspection panel taken seriously by World Bank or is it just a tokenistic response for the sake of accountability. Can you please share how the findings, recommendations, and advice of Inspection penal shape and influence the overall funding and accountability policy of world bank and its global development projects?

5.I am wondering if it’s possible for you to please share one of the experiences of inspection panel about a case (in any country) where its recommendations have influenced the World Bank Policy

6.One important role of the Inspection Panel is sharing lessons learned from past investigation cases in order to inform future operations of the World Bank. Can you tell us about your most recent publication on lessons learned which, as I understand, focuses on the protection of livelihoods among project-affected people?

7.Scholars have concerned and underlined that climate change, gender injustices, displacement of local communities, loss of livelihood, forced migration, and dispossessions of Indigenous communities appeared to have been one of the negative outcomes of any development projects. Based on your experience as a chair, can you please share how Inspection Panel and World Bank policies deal with these concerns while funding a development project in any country.

8.This year, under your leadership as a chair, the Inspection Panel has completed 30 years of its existence and contributions. If I ask you about the critical reflections and learning of Inspection Panel from its past experiences and contributions, what would be those reflections and learnings.

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