During the meeting, a voluntary land donation video was shown, a new reporting system for Environmental and Social Safeguards information to be adopted was presented; an integrated pest management plan for regional roll out was finalized. The need for new training initiatives on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Resettlement Action Plans as well as Livelihood restoration was also agreed on.
Environmental and Social Safeguards, which are key to ensuring that AGP 2 sub-projects are implemented in a manner that abides by Government of Ethiopia legal and regulatory frameworks and World Bank operational policies, were discussed. Participants recognize that if environmental and social safeguards are implemented properly then sub-projects are more likely to have a high degree of public acceptance.
The Voluntary Land Donation video is unique in that it is the first of its kind and is meant to be used to inform project affected people (PAP) about a sensitive topic pertaining to the resettlement action plan. The video will be rolled out in July, 2018 in three languages (Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Tigrinya) and its effectiveness will be monitored over the next year.
Wit Siemieniuk, CDSF International Environment and Social safeguards Adviser, facilitated the meeting.