Whistleblowers, persons prepared to provide verifiable information on corrupt practices involving funds allocated to countries for development projects by the Inter American Development Bank are to enjoy greater protection from the Bank under a recent major overhaul of its anti-corruption framework designed to protect funds allocated to receiving countries.
Under the enhanced anti-corruption regime announced by the Bank whistleblower protection is being expanded to include third parties. It makes provision for the Bank to notify national authorities when it receives allegations of reprisals against third parties involving IDB programmes. The Bank has also reaffirmed its policy of protecting its own staff members from reprisals through measures that include reassignment, where necessary.
The IDB’s announcement of a review of its anti-corruption framework has come In the wake of the recent Transparency International Global Report on Corruption which estimates that politicians and public officials holding positions of influence and authority receive between $20 billion and US$40 billion in bribes and kickbacks from the business sector annually.
The new measures which seek to overhaul the Bank’s anti-corruption framework put in place in 2001 will focus on ensuring that allegations of corrupt practices involving IDB-financed projects are investigated and sanctioned more quickly.
While the IDB long had numerous mechanisms designed to assess and uncover instances of corrupt practices designed to divert bank funds, the move to bolster its whistleblower protection scheme seeks to respond to what is widely believed to be increased levels of corruption involving public officials and contractors recruited to execute projects. The move by the Bank is also an implicit acknowledgement of the fact that well-placed persons who are prepared to initiate and support investigations into corrupt practices have become increasingly vulnerable to various forms of pressure and intimidation including various forms of harassment and threats to their jobs,
Under its recently refined anti-corruption regime that IDB is seeking to provide support of its long-standing Office of Institutional Support (OII) which is charged with investigating allegations of corruption-related wrongdoings by approving the creation of the new position of Case Officer. Case Officers will review OII investigative findings. IDB Case Officers will also have the authority to sanction parties for wrongdoing which sanctions could include suspension from participating in Bank-funded programmes.
