SPOTL IGHT
E&S Country System Assessments (CSAs) across Africa
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A tailored program The Vienna workshop was the first phase of a broader program running until end- 2026. Delegates from Benin, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Uganda took part, with follow-up in-country refresher sessions to be delivered by AfDB in collaboration with the OPEC Fund. A second phase will extend the same model to eight additional African countries. Together, the two phases aim to activate a pan-African peer-learning community. The three-day agenda was intensive but focused:
AfDB is undertaking CSAs in 23 countries
Tunisia
Libya
Morocco
Eritrea
Mauritania
Mali
Niger
Chad
Senegal Burkina Faso Sierra Leone Coté d’Ivoire
Djibouti
Nigeria
South Sudan
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Togo
Benin
Regulatory frameworks, roles of institutions, monitoring and reporting
Uganda
Gabon
DAY 1
Burundi Comoros
DR Congo
Resettlement, biodiversity, community health and cultural heritage
DAY 2
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Social inclusion, gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH)/sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH), vulnerable groups.
Madagascar
DAY 3
Completed In progress Under preparation
One size does not fit all The central question running through the workshop was how to reconcile national systems with international requirements. Issa Maman-Sani, Director of the Environmental & Social Safeguards and Compliance Department at AfDB asked: “Where do we strike the right balance between national policies and international standards?” The OPEC Fund echoed the point: “What certainly does not work is a one-size-fits-all approach. MDBs are indispensable partners, but we must engage with sensitivity and care,” Vice President Alomar said. “Where do we strike the right balance between national policies and international standards?” Issa Maman-Sani, Director of the Environmental & Social Safeguards and Compliance Department, AfDB
The workshop builds directly on the Environmental and Social Country System Assessments (CSAs) that the AfDB, often in collaboration with the World Bank, has been conducting across the continent. These CSAs review each country’s legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks for managing E&S risks. By mid-2025, more than 40 African countries have undergone such assessments, covering over 80 percent of the continent. The Vienna training translated these analytical findings into practical learning for policymakers and practitioners.
BENIN
Digitalizing Safeguards • 2022 decree aligned national E&S procedures with MDB standards. • Approvals partially digitalized through an e-service platform. • Plans underway for full digitalization of permits. • Accreditation system for E&S evaluators in progress. • Sector-specific Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) guides being developed.
“Benin is embracing digitalization to make safeguards faster, more transparent and more accessible.”
“MDBs are indispensable partners, but we must engage with sensitivity.”
Musab Alomar, Vice President, Strategy, OPEC Fund
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