Our Mandate
The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) is the independent accountability mechanism for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The CAO responds to complaints from project-affected communities with the goal of enhancing social and environmental outcomes on the ground. Learn More
CHANGES IN CAO'S WORK DUE TO COVID-19
Case Update
CAO Vacancy for Senior Dispute Resolution Specialist
September 2, 2021 - CAO seeks a Senior Dispute Resolution Specialist to join its team. Applications are due by September 24, 2021. To view the job description and to apply, please see the below link.CAO Recruitment: Senior Dispute Resolution Specialist
Monthly Case Update - August 2021
September 1, 2021 - Our monthly update on the status of CAO cases in assessment, dispute resolution, and compliance is available via the link below.Learn more
Brazil: Complaint Regarding IFC-supported Valor Fund Referred to Dispute Resolution
August 20, 2021 - CAO has completed its assessment of a complaint related to the operations of Tembici, a company supported by IFC through an investment fund owned by Valor. The parties wish to engage in a CAO dispute resolution process. CAO's assessment report is available in English and Portuguese.Learn more about this case
Togo: CAO Releases Compliance Monitoring Report Related to IFC Investment in the Lome Container Terminal
August 17 2021 - CAO has released a third compliance monitoring report following its 2016 investigation of IFC's performance related to the Lome Container Terminal in Togo. The report is available in English and French.Learn more about this case
New CAO Policy Now Available in 8 Languages
August 10, 2021 - The new CAO Policy is now available in 8 languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.Learn more
Yemen: CAO Accepts New Complaint Regarding IFC-supported HSA Foods
August 1, 2021 - CAO has accepted a new complaint regarding IFC’s investment in HSA Foods in Yemen. The complaint raises concerns about pollution, potential landslides and waste disposal. CAO has begun an assessment of the complaint.Learn more
New CAO Policy: Transitional Arrangements for CAO Cases
July 13, 2021 - Implementation of the new CAO Policy includes transitional arrangements for ongoing CAO cases. Cases received after July 1, 2021 will be processed under the new policy. Cases received prior to July 1, 2021 that are currently being processed under CAO's Operational Guidelines will transition to the new CAO Policy after concluding their current stage of the CAO process.Learn more
New CAO Policy Enhances IFC's and MIGA's Accountability
July 1, 2021 - The Boards of Directors have approved a new IFC/MIGA Independent Accountability Mechanism (CAO) Policy, which becomes effective today, July 1, 2021. The Policy enhances the accessibility, predictability, and transparency of the complaints process in projects supported by IFC and MIGA, with an increased focus on outcomes for affected communities and IFC/MIGA clients. The new CAO Policy, which builds on CAO's Operational Guidelines and incorporates recommendations from an independent external review, reflects feedback from extensive public consultations with CAO complainants, civil society, IFC/MIGA clients, development finance institutions, independent accountability mechanisms, and other stakeholders. See World Bank Group announcement.Learn more about the new CAO Policy
Nigeria: CAO finalizes Compliance Investigation of Eleme Fertilizer-01 Complaint
June 22, 2021 - CAO has finalized the compliance investigation report in relation to the Nigeria - Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited complaint-01. The investigation report is currently with IFC for formal response. IFC's response is due by July 8, 2021. Learn more about the case
Brazil: CAO Accepts New Complaint Regarding IFC supported Valor Fund
June 14, 2021 - CAO has accepted a new complaint regarding IFC’s investment in Valor Venture Fund in Brazil. The complaint raises concerns about the health and saftey issue relating to the fund supported Tembici/iFood joint venture. CAO has begun an assessment of the complaint. Learn more about the case
Jordan: Complaint Regarding IFC-supported Alcazar Energy Referred to Compliance
May 3, 2021 - CAO completed an assessment of a complaint related to the IFC-supported Alcazar Energy project in Jordan. The parties elected to resolve the issues through the CAO dispute resolution process. Following this, the complainant withdrew from the dispute resolution process, and became unreachable for CAO to understand the reasons behind the withdrawal. The complaint will now be transferred to CAO’s Compliance function for appraisal in accordance with CAO’s Operational Guidelines. The conclusion report is available in English and Arabic. Learn more about the case
What's New
CAO Newsletter: Quarter 4, Summer 2021
This issue features information about the launch of the new CAO Policy, which was approved by the IFC and MIGA Boards in June 2021; CAO's biannual Mediator Summit, which featured learning from the past 10 years of CAO's dispute resolution work; working to resolve disputes during the COVID-19 pandemic; and CAO outreach activities in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan.
Learn more
Resources: Changes to CAO's Casework due to COVID-19 and Health Information
This CAO one-pager covers changes to CAO's casework due to coronavirus. It includes information from the Pan-American Health Organization on how to 'be aware, prepare, and act' with regard to COVID-19. Download here
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