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The World Bank's Inspection Panel: Promoting True Accountability Through Arbitration, Enrique Carrasco

Enrique R Carrasco

In September 1993, the World Bank created the Inspection Panel. At the time, it was hailed as an unprecedented effort to increase the Bank’s accountability. Prior to the establishment of the Panel, the Bank had engaged in a number of projects that devastated local populations and caused significant environmental damage. After unrelenting pressure from environmental and human rights non-governmental organizations (“NGOs”), the World Bank established the Inspection Panel with hopes of bringing transparency to the Bank’s project lending. Generally, the Panel is charged with investigating complaints filed by parties in borrower countries who believe that the Bank is violating its …