The AI Appeals Board considers appeals claiming that the World Bank has improperly or unreasonably restricted access to information that it would normally disclose under the AI Policy, after the AI Committee (first stage of appeal) has confirmed the World Bank’s decision to deny access to the information. The AI Appeals Board decisions on appeals are publicly available.
The AI Appeals Board is an impartial body that considers second-stage appeals under the AI Policy consisting of three independent, outside experts nominated by the World Bank's President and endorsed by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors. The AI Appeals Board members are appointed to serve a specific term. The AI Appeals Board terms of reference are public (AIAB TOR).
The AI Appeals Board is bound by the AI Policy and follows the AIAB Operating Procedures when discharging its functions.
The Annual Reports of the Access to Information Policy record the number of appeals filed before the AI Appeals Board each year.
Appeals and other communications to the AI Appeals Board should be submitted through the case management system in the Member Center.
The current AI Appeals Board members starting on February 1, 2020, are:
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Ms. Miriam Nisbet, a United States national, was the founding Director of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). OGIS is the federal FOIA ombudsman office, mediating disputes between FOIA requesters and federal agencies and recommending improvements for FOIA compliance. Miriam retired from NARA in November 2014, remaining active as an advocate for government transparency and for dispute resolution. Previous positions were with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the American Library Association; NARA; and the Office of Information and Privacy at the US Department of Justice. She will serve as a principal member to the Access to Information Appeals Board until January 31, 2024. |
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Ms. Carole Excell, a Jamaican national, is the Acting Director of World Resources Institute's Environmental Democracy Practice and the Project Director for The Access Initiative, working on access to information, public participation and access to justice issues around the world. She was previously the Coordinator for the Freedom of Information Unit of the Cayman Islands Government in charge of ensuring the development and effective implementation of the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law. She also worked with The Carter Center as Field Representative in Jamaica for their Access to Information Project and acted as the Secretariat to the Volunteer Attorneys Panel. Ms. Excell is an Attorney-at-law with a LLB from the University of the West Indies and Certificate of Legal Education from the Norman Manley Law School, Mona. She will serve as a principal member to the Access to Information Appeals Board until January 31, 2024. |
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Ms. Rosemary Agnew, a United Kingdom national, has been the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman since 1 May 2017, investigating and resolving or deciding complaints about the Scottish public sector (except Police). Her role also includes independent reviewer of applications to the Scottish Welfare Fund and the Complaints Standards Authority; setting standard complaint handling procedures, promoting good practice and monitoring Scottish public sector performance. From 2012 to 2017, Rosemary was the Scottish Information Commissioner, responsible for ensuring compliance by Scottish public authorities with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004, including promoting good practice. She will serve as a principal member from February 1, 2022, to January 31, 2026. |