The Project The Project’s objective is to “support the Borrower’s policy of the promotion of privatesector led growth through: (a) improving the investment climate; (b) supporting parastatal reform in the telecommunications, energy, finance, transport, and mining sectors; and (c) improving mining competitiveness in the Katanga region of the Borrower.” According to the Project Appraisal Document (PAD), Component 3 of the Project includes providing financial assistance to retrenched workers at the parastatal companies Gécamines, BCA, NBK, and BCCE. The Request The Requests claim that the "Voluntary Departures" financed by the Project resulted in dismissal of about 10,655 Gécamines workers, and that adequate severance payments and social reintegration programs as required under the Bank policy did not materialize.
Policies and Procedures raised in Request: Poverty reduction (OD 4.15) Bank financing (OP 6.00) Financing severance pay in public sector reform operations (OpMemo) This request also refers to case no 55 (Second Request) and case no. 63 (Third Request).
