Compliance Advisor Ombudsman

Project Overview

IFC has an equity investment held since 2015 in the renewable energy platform Alcazar Energy Partners (the “Company”), an independent developer and power producer focused on wind and solar projects in the MENA region. The complaint relates specifically to Alcazar Energy’s Al Rajef Wind Project in Jordan, an 86 MW wind farm with a project cost of US$ 185m, located near the village of Al Rajef in the Ma’an Governate of Jordan approximately 220km south of Amman in Jordan. Based on IFC’s equity in Alcazar, it is exposed to the Al-Rajef wind farm project, which commenced commercial operations in November 2018. The project is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) and Proparco.

Complaint
In March 2020, a local resident filed a complaint with CAO in relation to the Al-Rajef wind farm. The complaint entails a concern about the potential impact of the wind farm on the complainant’s unit, including noise and flashing lights from the project site. The complainant requested confidentiality.

CAO Action
CAO found the complaint eligible for assessment in March 2020 and has begun an assessment of the complaint.

Status
An assessment of the complaint in ongoing.

Note: A CAO assessment does not entail a judgment on the merits of complaints.  Rather, the aim is to listen to people's concerns, understand the different perspectives, and determine what options are available to address the complaint through CAO's Dispute Resolution and Compliance functions.

Status as of September 30, 2020