ADB reviewing its PCP to promote stakeholder trust

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is reviewing its Public Communications Policy (PCP). The objective of the Access to Information Policy (AIP) is to promote stakeholder trust in ADB and to increase the development impact of ADB activities. The policy reflects ADB's commitment to transparency, accountability, and participation by stakeholders in ADB-supported development activities in the Asia and Pacific region and recognizes the rights of people to seek, receive, and impart information about ADB's operations, said a press release.
The policy applies to documents and information that the ADB produces and requires to be produced by its borrowers or clients, or are produced and provided to ADB by other parties. The PCP guides ADB's practices on information disclosure and communication with external stakeholders. The first consultation draft of a new policy was made available in November 2016 for public comment. These first drafts were used during the country consultations held in December 2016 and June/July 2017. Feedback from internal and external consultations were used to develop the 2nd consultation drafts.
The 2nd consultation drafts of the proposed new policy and implementation arrangements and routinely disclosed documents/information (previously called staff instructions) have now been posted on the ADB website (https:// www.adb.org/ documents/pcp-review-2nd-draft-consultation-paper-implementation-arrangements) for public comment for one month.
We would welcome any comment you have on the latest drafts. You may send your feedback to [email protected] by 2 April 2018. The review of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Public Communications Policy (PCP) 2011 is undertaken in accordance with paragraph 144 of the PCP 2011, which states that a review of the policy should be conducted no later than 5 years from its effective date. The PCP 2011 was approved by ADB's Board of Directors on 25 October 2011, and became effective on 2 April 2012.
The PCP 2011 review started with the establishment in July 2016 of a PCP 2011 review Steering Committee tasked to provide overall strategic guidance on the policy review process. A desk review of the PCP 2011 and a peer assessment of other multilateral development banks were conducted in 2016 followed by internal consultations. A PCP Review website1 was established where the first consultation drafts of the proposed new policy and separate implementation arrangements were posted in November 2016 for public comment. ADB held consultations with external stakeholders in November 2016 and in June-July 2017 in 16 countries and one region. An informal consultation with ADB's Board of Directors took place in April 2017.
A review of PCP 2011 showed that the principles and disclosure exceptions of PCP 2011 are in line with those of other multilateral development banks and many countries. It also showed that many other multilateral development banks are shifting toward principles-based policies that are now considered to be best practice for information disclosure. Annual assessments of PCP 2011 show an increase in the quantity of documents disclosed on the ADB website (www.adb.org), the level of compliance for routinely disclosed documents, and the number of information requests that ADB receives and responds to. However, the assessments also showed that document disclosure was sometimes delayed because some of the policy's disclosure requirements were outdated for proposed changes to the PCP 2011. As such, the proposal is for a shift to a policy focused on principles-which will remain largely unchanged-and a separate document housing the policy's implementation details. While policy principles will remain fixed over time, implementation arrangements will be presented in a separate document that can be updated as needed. This shift should ensure implementation clarity, flexibility, and disclosure predictability.
Up-to-date implementation arrangements should improve disclosure timeliness and policy effectiveness. Other proposed changes from the PCP 2011 include removal of background information sections, which become outdated, and removal of the Public Communications Approach. The Public Communications Approach, which describes ADB's corporate communications, will be incorporated into an updated External Relations Framework.
This second draft consultation paper refines and clarifies some of the principles and exceptions in the first consultation draft. It also shifts some of the implementation arrangements related to information requests and appeals for disclosure to the implementation arrangements which will be housed in ADB's Operations Manual. Based on forthcoming comments, a working paper and final policy paper will be developed and presented to ADB's Board of Directors for consideration. If approved by the board, the new policy will become effective in six months after Board approval. The implementation arrangements will be approved by ADB Management and become effective at the same time as the policy.-PR