Information Disclosure

Policy Highlights

The 1995 policy is explicit on what particular published documents can be availed of, where they can be obtained and cost of the requisition of such. For external requests of relevant documents or information that are not specified in the Policy, the OER consults with the Publications Committee (PC) to review the requests. For those addressed to specific departments or offices, they need to be relayed to the OER within three working days for review (again with the PC). All requests are subject to the 22-day rule wherein replies to the request (either the information is provided for or if not, the reason/s why it cannot be provided) are given.

Documents for public scrutiny can be obtained depending on the publication or communication expenses incurred by the Bank in providing such. Prices of publications are recommended by the Publications Committee although numerous documents are made available free of charge. The ADB currently provides documents to NGOs upon request at no charge, although the ADB publications administrative order, AO4.06, states that the OER is to charge for publications as often as possible.

The ADB puts all of its publications and key policy documents on to the Internet for public use, which according to the OER, makes the Bank the only multilateral development bank that does this. Major publications and documents are broken down into chapters to promote user friendliness and to assist surfers in reading online. The homepage "focus section" addresses a specific development issue, and is changed weekly (an online archive conserves past editions for viewing). This section occasionally highlights ADB cooperation with NGOs in the implementation of a development project. The OER takes pride in the fact that the ADB website receives 4 million hits a month (circa February 2001) which highlights the website's usefulness in disseminating information; the number of "user sessions" averaged over 4,000 per day -- up 44 percent from a year earlier.

The Bank also makes use of its Depository Libraries situated across the Asia and the Pacific to further engage the public on Bank activities. Through regular monthly mailings, the ADB headquarters sends about 300 new documents annually to each depository library. The libraries, located in several countries, make available for reference books, selected country and economic studies, technical papers, annual reports, statistical publications, documents on loans and technical assistance projects, environmental impact assessments, and public information materials.

See full version of the policy

UPDATES

Related ADB Documents
Summary

RELATED NGO DOCUMENTS
Update: ADB's 1995 'Disclosure' Policy, Eileen G. Rillera, NGO Forum on ADB, March 2001