Our Mandate
The Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) is the independent recourse 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
Case Update
Cambodia: Complaint Regarding IFC's VEIL II Project
March 06, 2014 - CAO has accepted a new complaint regarding IFC's VEIL II project in Cambodia. An assessment of the issues raised in the complaint is underway with the relevant parties. Learn more about the case here
Peru: CAO Conclusion Report of Fourth Complaint Regarding Yanacocha Project
February 27, 2014 - CAO has released its Conclusion Report for the complaint regarding IFC's investment in Yanacocha in Peru. CAO concluded its involvement in the dispute resolution process as a collaborative resolution could not be reached. The case is now being handled by CAO's Compliance function. The Conclusion Report is available in English and Spanish at the link below. Learn more about the case here
Summary of CAO Cases: February 2014
February 24, 2014 - CAO's 6-weekly summary of cases in assessment, dispute resolution, and compliance is available at the link below.CAO Case Summary February 2014
Cambodia: CAO Assessment of Cambodia Airport-01
February 18, 2014 - CAO has released its Assessment Report of the complaint received regarding the IFC supported Cambodia Airports project in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. The parties have agreed to work with CAO's Dispute Resolution function to try to resolve the issues. CAO's Assessment report is available in both English and Khmer through the link below.Learn more about this case here
India: Complaint Regarding IFC's Lafarge Project
February 11, 2014 - CAO has accepted a new complaint regarding IFC's Lafarge project in India. An assessment of the issues raised in the complaint is underway with the relevant parties. Learn more about this case
India: CAO completes appraisal of IFC Investment in Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited and issues Terms of Reference for Compliance Investigation
February 11, 2014 - CAO has completed its appraisal of IFC's investment in Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited. CAO concludes that IFC's environmental and social performance with regard to this project merits further enquiry. CAO has issued Terms of Reference for a Compliance Investigation. Full details about the case are available at the link below.Learn more about this case
Honduras: CAO issues Terms of Reference for Compliance Investigation into IFC's investments in Banco Ficohsa
January 27, 2014 - In line with its Operational Guidelines, CAO has issued Terms of Reference for a Compliance Investigation of IFC’s investments in Banco Ficohsa. Full details about the case are available at the link below.Learn more about this case
Mexico: Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Complaint Regarding IFC's Harmon Hall Project
January 17, 2014 - CAO has accepted four new complaints regarding Harmon Hall, an IFC supported English Language School in Mexico. An assessment of the issues raised in the complaints is underway with the relevant parties.Learn more about the cases here
Cameroon: CAO Conclusion Report of Complaint Regarding AES Sonel
January 14, 2014 - CAO has released its Conclusion Report for the complaint regarding IFC's investment in the AES Sonel in Cameroon. CAO concluded its involvement in the dispute resolution process as a collaborative resolution of the outstanding claims could not be reached. The case is now being handled by CAO's Compliance function. The Conclusion Report is available in English and French at the link below. Learn more about this case
Honduras: CAO Audit of IFC Investment in Corporación Dinant
January 10, 2014 - CAO's Audit Report of IFC's investment in Dinant, Honduras has been released following clearance by the World Bank Group President. A summary of CAO's findings, together with the full audit report and IFC's response, are available at the link below. See Summary of CAO Audit Findings.Learn more about this case
Honduras: CAMIF complaint closed
January 9, 2014 - After learning from IFC and CAMIF that, as of December 2013, the sub-project was no longer being considered for investment, CAO has concluded its involvement in the case as it no longer falls within CAO’s mandate. Further details are captured in CAO's Assessment Report, available at the link below.Learn more about this case
Uganda: Agreements reached between parties regarding Bujagali 5 complaint
January 9, 2014 - Agreements have been reached between BEL and informal tourism operators, which resolved the complaint issues related to impacts on their livelihood. An EIB-led mediation has resulted in agreements on the blasting-related complaints, and those agreements are currently in implementation. CAO continues to work with all other parties to help them resolve the remaining issues raised in the complaint.Learn more about this case
Indonesia: CAO Conclusion Report of third Wilmar Complaint
December 20, 2013 - CAO has released its Conclusion Report for the third complaint in relation to IFC's investments in the Wilmar Group. The dispute resolution process was terminated after PT AP, the once fully owned Wilmar subsidiary, withdrew from the mediation. The case is now being handled by CAO's Compliance function. The Conclusion Report is available in English and Bahasa Indonesia at the link below.Learn more about the case here
CAO Assessment of Sixth Bujagali Complaint
December 12, 2013 - CAO has released its Assessment Report of the sixth complaint received regarding the IFC and MIGA supported Bujagali project in Uganda. The parties have agreed to work with CAO's Dispute Resolution function to try to resolve the issues. CAO's Assessment report is available through the link below. Learn more about the case here
President Kim Responds to Civil Society’s Concerns on Private Sector Investments
December 10, 2013 - Yesterday, World Bank Group President released a statement responding to civil society concerns on private sector investments. See the link below for the full statement.Link to President Kim's statement
Honduras: CAO Vice President Request appraisal of IFC's investments in Banco Ficohsa
December 06, 2013 - On August 21, 2013, CAO Vice President requested a Compliance Appraisal of IFC's investments in Banco Ficohsa. This appraisal is now complete. CAO concludes that IFC's environmental and social performance with regard to its investments in Ficohsa merits further enquiry. CAO's Appraisal report and full details about the case are available at the link below.Learn more about this case here
IFC Statement in Response to Public Enquiries Regarding CAO Audit of IFC Investment in CGPL (Tata Mundra)
November, 25, 2013 - IFC has provided CAO with a statement including action plan items in relation to CAO's Audit of IFC's Investment in Coastal Gujarat Power Limited. CAO's audit report and IFC's official response was released on October 22, 2013. CAO Compliance will monitor actions taken by IFC to address its findings of non-compliance and produce a monitoring report not less than once a year. The IFC action plan will be taken into consideration as part of this process. CAO's audit report is available in English and Gujarati here.IFC Statement and Action Plan
IFC's Action Plan in Response to CAO's Financial Intermediary Audit
September 30, 2013 - IFC have provided CAO with its Action Plan in response to the CAO Audit of a Sample of IFC Investments in Third-Party Financial Intermediaries. Where relevant, IFC's Action Plan will inform CAO's monitoring of this audit however, CAO will monitor to the findings of the audit and not exclusively to IFC's Action Plan. The Action Plan can be found through the link below. Learn more about this case.IFC's FI Action Plan
What's New
CAO holds third mediator workshop in Africa
January 2014 - As part of its ongoing strategy to grow the CAO network of mediators globally, CAO hosted its third African workshop in Dakar, Senegal in December 2013.Learn more about the workshop
CAO Annual Report 2013
October 31, 2013 - CAO has released its 2013 Annual Report which provides a full account of CAO's activities from July 2012 to June 2013 (Fiscal Year 2013). The report is available in English and Spanish at the link below. CAO Annual Report 2013
Members of the World Bank Group