More than 50 representatives of African countries and development finance institutions gathered in Vienna last week to strengthen environmental and social risk systems in development projects as part of a capacity-building initiative led by the African Development Bank Group and the OPEC Fund for International Development.
The three-day workshop, organised by the Bank Group, the OPEC Fund and the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA), marked the second phase of the AfDB/OPEC FUND E&S Capacity Building initiative, which was launched in June 2025 in Vienna, Austria.
Participants included senior regulatory officials from Chad, Comoros, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Senegal and Uganda, joined by staff of the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, BADEA, Saudi Fund for Development, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Private Infrastructure Development Group, UNESCO and environmental consultancies Alpage and Ramboll.
Through sessions featuring panel discussions and presentations of case studies, they examined land acquisition and resettlement, biodiversity, social inclusion, gender-based violence and sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, cultural heritage, and occupational and community health and safety. Participants also learned about approaches to financing and monitoring environmental and social management plans and strengthening cooperation between financial institutions and national regulators.
The initiative builds on environmental and social country system assessments undertaken by the African Development Bank in countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, Tunisia and Uganda.
“Environmental and social safeguards do not sit on the sidelines of development; they are integral to making development more sustainable, inclusive and equitable,” said Musab Alomar, OPEC Fund Vice President for Strategy. “Ensuring strong environmental and social standards in the projects we finance is a shared responsibility and a cornerstone of effective development.”
Prof. Maman-Sani Issa, the Bank Group’s Director for Environmental and Social Safeguards and Compliance, said the partnership was creating practical opportunities for countries to exchange experience and strengthen national capacity.
“The objective is to equip our regional member countries with the knowledge and practical skills required to integrate environmental and social considerations into project design and implementation,” he said. “Stronger country systems will help improve sustainable use and preservation of the natural and human capitals across our member countries, ultimately enhancing the sustainability and development impact of projects we support.”
NCEA led a focus group enabling country representatives and multilateral finance institutions to discuss how to fund the monitoring of environmental and social management plans, and how institutions can work with regulators to strengthen monitoring and compliance.
Dennis van Peppen, Director of the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment, highlighted the value of the workshop as a platform for peer learning and dialogue on the challenges and opportunities involved in strengthening environmental and social country systems.
Over the three days, the Bank Group team also held discussions with partners on co-financing, capacity building, and other issues.
The next phase of the initiative is expected to include tailored national-level training designed to address country-specific challenges and further strengthen environmental and social safeguard systems as foundations for sustainable project delivery.
