October 24, 2025: A PTF-supported initiative led in collaboration with Accountability Lab and the Accountability Research Center has issued an open letter to Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank. The letter was endorsed by 282 civil society leaders and organizations from 65 countries, calling on the World Bank to follow through on its commitments to strengthen civic and citizen engagement. It expresses growing concern that progress on these commitments is stalling, even as the need for meaningful participation and accountability becomes more urgent.
It argues that the World Bank can increase the accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness of its work by involving citizens and civil society more effectively, not just through consultations, but also in monitoring project implementation. Measures suggested include:
- Quickly establishing and sufficiently funding the new CIVIC facility (aiming to work with civil society)
- Systematic monitoring and public reporting on Stakeholder Engagement Plans for World Bank projects.
- Finalizing and institutionalizing the Bank’s new Civic and Citizen Engagement (CCE) Framework, publishing the new CCE Indicator along with the related disaggregated data to track implementation, and embedding CCE within the new Country Engagement Approach.
PTF representatives (Vinay Bhargava and Nadishani Perera) attended several high-level events during the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings (October 13-18, 2025). This included: a Town Hall with civil society featuring Mr. Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group; an Executive Directors Round Table with CSOs; and an IDA Forum for CSOs. PTF noted that President Banga has called on the World Bank to work “better and faster.” Yet on the civic engagement agenda, the Bank has been slow and hesitant. Swift action now would rebuild trust with civil society partners.
The Open Letter was acknowledged during the Board of Executive Directors’ Roundtable with Civil Society on October 14. A Board representative stated that the Board considers this a priority, noted that work is in progress, and assured that the Board is following up. The Board expects the actions to be completed soon. A management representative at the IDA Forum, with over 140 CSOs in attendance, stated that the renewal of the civic and citizen engagement (CCE) strategy and work on the indicator are in progress, and that a multi-donor trust fund for the CIVIC CSO funding facility is also being opened.
PTF is committed to doing its part to ensure that progress continues and accelerates on this front.
The initiative was spearheaded by Vinay Bhargava, PTF’s Chief Technical Advisor; Blair Glencorse, Co-CEO of Accountability Lab; and Rachel Nadelman from the Accountability Research Center.
The open letter and signatories can be found here.
