Learning Curves: ADB's Involuntary Resettlement Safeguards

Abstract

The scope of the original Policy on Involuntary Resettlement has expanded since the issuance of the Handbook on Resettlement in 1998 and ADBʹs reorganization in 2002, which brought with it a new safeguard compliance mechanism and a new section in ADBʹs Operations Manual. Through the new de facto policy, ADB practice is now much more inclusive than the title of the policy suggests. It now focuses not only on people affected by involuntary resettlement, but also on those who experience land loss and loss of livelihood as a result of an ADB‐supported project. The procedures have also become more elaborate and prescriptive over the years. Formal compliance has been stressed and requires a sign off by the chief compliance officer on the quality of resettlement planning before loan appraisal. This has caused staff of ADB to be much more demanding of executing agencies. The Policy on Involuntary Resettlement is highly controversial. Many borrowers and executing agencies think that the policy is not compatible with national laws and policies, and too expensive. Some civil society organizations think that it is not sufficiently well implemented. Some staff of ADB lament that the policy is labor intensive given staff constraints and may take resources away from other necessary and equally important project preparation tasks.