We appreciate the opportunity afforded to the African Development Bank Group to comment on the allegations referenced in the report by the Coalition for Human Rights in Development concerning geothermal development projects in Kenya. Our Bank takes allegations relating to human rights, environmental and social impacts, involuntary resettlement, community health and safety, stakeholder engagement, and livelihoods very seriously. These issues are central to the Bank's commitment to sustainable and inclusive development and are addressed through our environmental and social policies, safeguards, accountability mechanisms, and project supervision processes.

Following receipt of your communication, we initiated consultations with relevant operational, environmental and social safeguard, legal, and management teams to review the information provided and to conduct a preliminary assessment of the matters raised. Our initial review indicates that the allegations refer broadly to geothermal development activities in the Menengai area and appear to encompass multiple projects and entities. At this stage, the information available does not clearly identify the specific Bank-financed operation or operations to which the allegations relate. In addition, some of the concerns referenced appear to be associated with activities and developments that may fall outside the scope of projects financed by AfDB. As a result, further clarification and fact-finding are required before the Bank can make an informed assessment of the allegations. We wish to underscore that all projects financed by the Bank are required to comply with the Bank's applicable environmental and social requirements as well as relevant national laws and regulations. The Bank maintains established processes for monitoring environmental and social performance throughout the project cycle and for considering concerns that may be raised by affected stakeholders or other interested parties.

Given the seriousness of the issues raised, we consider it important that any conclusions or public statements be informed by verified facts, engagement with relevant stakeholders, and a thorough review of available evidence. We therefore do not believe it would be appropriate to provide substantive findings on the allegations before completing the necessary review process.

We appreciate the opportunity provided by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre to present the Bank's preliminary position and would be grateful if this response could be published alongside the relevant material... A full statement from AfDB is attached