human rights

Yesterday, the World Bank’s board of directors approved two USD 400 million loans, to Azerbaijan and to Turkey, to develop the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), the centrepiece of the Southern Gas Corridor project. CEE Bankwatch Network and Counter Balance are deeply concerned that the decision to channel such large amounts of money to Europe’s biggest fossil fuels project could exacerbate the already dismal human rights situation in both Azerbaijan and Turkey, and undermine the global efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

The EIB is increasingly given a prominent role in the EU’s response to the so-called refugee crisis stretching the bank’s operations well beyond its current mandate for overseas investments. Yet, a new report by Counter Balance and CEE Bankwatch Network takes a closer look at projects the EU’s house bank has been financing outside Europe to find a dismal track record on a range of issues from transparency to human rights. This, the report authors say, should serve as a warning sign for the European Parliament and Council as they consider boosting the bank’s mandate.

The Azerbaijani government’s relentless repression of civil society should disqualify the country from participating in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), 18 international groups wrote in a letter sent on Thursday (October 20) to members of the EITI board.

On April 15, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will be marking its 25th anniversary. Reflecting on two decades of monitoring the EBRD's policies and projects, a new report from CEE Bankwatch Network raises concerns about a growing gap between the bank's operations and its mandate.