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News / 3 February 2009

Report on Bujagali Dam ignored by World Bank

A highly critical report on the Bujagali Dam was recently released by the World Bank Inspection Panel - the independent investigation body of the World Bank. The controversial Bujagali Dam, a US$860 million hydropower dam under construction in Uganda, is co-financed by the World Bank and the African Development Bank. Unfortunately the report of the Inspection Panel has done little to change the commitment of the World Bank in funding the dam. Nor will it implement any fundamental changes in response to the indicated problems.

 

The report of the Inspection Panel questions the benefits of a future operating Bujagali Dam for the local population. Negative effects have not been adequately taken into account by the World Bank. The report is critical about the heart of the dam's purpose and mission: to reduce poverty for the local community. Both ENDS' partner in Uganda, the National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE), the organization that filed the complaint at the World Bank, continues to call for changes before the project proceeds further. Changes include a balanced allocation of risk; a plan for addressing economic, environmental and resettlement problems; and an open process for protecting Lake Victoria from slowly being drained.

 

The World Bank, the African Development Bank and also the European Investment Bank are likely to be involved in the building of many new African dams. The largest dam planned being the Great Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both ENDS and its partners will continue to monitor these plans and lobby to make sure lessons from the past will be taken into account.

 

To download a PDF-file on the Bujagali Dam case, please click here.

 

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