Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law EBRD Annual Meeting, Zagreb, May 2010 OSH-ISFANA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT, KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law
EBRD Annual Meeting, Zagreb, May 2010
OSH-ISFANA ROAD UPGRADING PROJECT,KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
EBRD - US$35 million sovereign loan
World Bank - US$13.75 million loan + US$11.25 million grant equivalent= US$25 million
EC – US$19 million
KR – US$5.76 million
TOTAL = about US$ 84.76 million
Implementing agency :Ministry of Transport and Communication of Kyrgyz Republic
EBRD - US$35 million sovereign loan
World Bank - US$13.75 million loan + US$11.25 million grant equivalent= US$25 million
EC – US$19 million
KR – US$5.76 million
TOTAL = about US$ 84.76 million
Implementing agency :Ministry of Transport and Communication of Kyrgyz Republic
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project has been categorized “ B”, we consider that for the public sector project EBRD should provide more information for the stakeholders and organize public consultations ( including EIA disclosure for comments):
General public was receiving condensed and unspecified information through the local media;A member of the interim government displayed lack of
understanding about project’ objectives, which may be excused but says a lot about level of public perception;Comparing to the World Bank‘s information about the same project EBRD displayed little transparency.
The project has been categorized “ B”, we consider that for the public sector project EBRD should provide more information for the stakeholders and organize public consultations ( including EIA disclosure for comments):
General public was receiving condensed and unspecified information through the local media;A member of the interim government displayed lack of
understanding about project’ objectives, which may be excused but says a lot about level of public perception;Comparing to the World Bank‘s information about the same project EBRD displayed little transparency.
MAIN CSO’S CONCERNS:
This non transparent practice leads to misunderstanding by the stakeholders of the project’aims and to further difficulties with public acceptance of unavoidable risks:
According to the World Bank’s EIA report (related to the same road project), “…Local people have expressed eagerness for the road to be completed as soon as possible, and when asked about the possibility to remove some remaining minor structures to achieve the full new road width and geometry, have even offered to give up their houses.” For us it means that people were misinformed about resettlements and compensation procedures. From our previous experience we know that local authorities will try to avoid this problem in order to foster the project. We urge EBRD not to use people naivety and organize extensive public information and consultation programmes.
This non transparent practice leads to misunderstanding by the stakeholders of the project’aims and to further difficulties with public acceptance of unavoidable risks:
According to the World Bank’s EIA report (related to the same road project), “…Local people have expressed eagerness for the road to be completed as soon as possible, and when asked about the possibility to remove some remaining minor structures to achieve the full new road width and geometry, have even offered to give up their houses.” For us it means that people were misinformed about resettlements and compensation procedures. From our previous experience we know that local authorities will try to avoid this problem in order to foster the project. We urge EBRD not to use people naivety and organize extensive public information and consultation programmes.
MAIN CSO’S CONCERNS:
Erosion in vulnerable terrain;
Usage of river bottoms as gravel pits which (common practice for many years). Reinforcing is needed;
Even a medium term water pollution resulting from rehabilitation and construction works (like possible spills of construction materials - gravel, sand, and fill), discharge of waste water and sewage from work camps and hydro-carbon leakage (especially near the Sokh river) could deeply affect local Kyrgyz population as well as the neighboring country’s population (Uzbekistan). Water resources are very important in this arid zone. Do not minimize the project activities’ negative effects.
Erosion in vulnerable terrain;
Usage of river bottoms as gravel pits which (common practice for many years). Reinforcing is needed;
Even a medium term water pollution resulting from rehabilitation and construction works (like possible spills of construction materials - gravel, sand, and fill), discharge of waste water and sewage from work camps and hydro-carbon leakage (especially near the Sokh river) could deeply affect local Kyrgyz population as well as the neighboring country’s population (Uzbekistan). Water resources are very important in this arid zone. Do not minimize the project activities’ negative effects.
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
Mainstream approach = “Privatization of the public infrastructure’’Mainstream approach = “Privatization of the public infrastructure’’
The EBRD loan was provided under conditions of fostering road sector reforms witch would mean “…introducing a more commercial approach to road maintenance, with greater reliance on the private sector; and finance
for the road sector based, so far as possible, on road user chargesthat reflect the real costs’’. Kyrgyz people already witnessed how such recommendations and subsequent “monetization and tariff increases”could affect socially and economically vulnerable people and break the public stability and trust to state institutions.
The EBRD loan was provided under conditions of fostering road sector reforms witch would mean “…introducing a more commercial approach to road maintenance, with greater reliance on the private sector; and finance
for the road sector based, so far as possible, on road user chargesthat reflect the real costs’’. Kyrgyz people already witnessed how such recommendations and subsequent “monetization and tariff increases”could affect socially and economically vulnerable people and break the public stability and trust to state institutions.
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL IMPACTS