According to the European Investment Bank, the project consists of a framework loan to finance a climate-change resilience initiative, which will support the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by flooding in the Dominican Republic.

EIB-led assistance will be built on the following principles:

1. Comprehensive and geographically-focused intervention on a maximum of four of the provinces most affected by natural disaster (Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, Espaillat and Duarte), selected according to criteria of poverty and level of needs;
2. Focus on climate-change resilience, including in particular a substantial element of risk prevention for future natural disasters (floods, tropical storms, earthquakes), with particular attention for climate risks, including areas of preventive hydraulics, environment, resilient infrastructure and application of anti-seismic standards during the reconstruction process;
3. Interventions with a strong social impact and poverty reduction will be a priority.

This initiative will focus on climate/earthquake-resilient infrastructure, particularly social housing, urban infrastructure (including in some cases health and education basic infrastructure), access roads and hydraulic works.

The majority of the investments foreseen by the European Investment Bank are reconstruction, repairs and refurbishment under proper flood-resilient and anti-seismic standards of collapsed and damaged infrastructure in the sectors mentioned above.

If roads are to be financed from this operation, they will be constructed within existing rights of way or on new alignments over short sections. 

The investments foreseen by the operation will be subject to environmental screening in line with the requirements of the EU directive (EU Directive 2014/52/EU amending the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU), to determine the need for an EIA as well as potential impact on natural habitat and protected species. 

The European Investment Bank says that the environmental impact from roads are likely to be minor. A stakeholder engagement framework and a resettlement policy framework will be prepared in line with EIB Environmental and Social Standards.

Project contact information not available at the time of disclosure.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF EIB

The EIB Complaints Mechanism is designed to facilitate and handle complaints against the EIB by individuals, organizations or corporations affected by EIB activities. When exercising the right to lodge a complaint against the EIB, any member of the public has access to a two-tier procedure, one internal - the Complaints Mechanism Office - and one external - the European Ombudsman. A complaint can be lodged via a written communication addressed to the Secretary General of the EIB, via email to the dedicated email address complaints@eib.org, by completing the online complaint form available at the following address: http://www.eib.org/complaints/form, via fax or delivered directly to the EIB Complaints Mechanism Division, any EIB local representation office or any EIB staff. For further details, check: http://www.eib.org/attachments/strategies/complaints_mechanism_policy_en.pdf

When dissatisfied with a complaint to the EIB Complaints Mechanism, citizens can then turn towards the European Ombudsman. A memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the EIB and the European Ombudsman establishes that citizens (even outside of the EU if the Ombudsman finds their complaint justified) can turn towards the Ombudsman on issues related to 'maladministration' by the EIB. Note that before going to the Ombudsman, an attempt must be made to resolve the case by contacting the EIB. In addition, the complaint must be made within two years of the date when the facts on which your complaint is based became known to you. You can write to the Ombudsman in any of the languages of the European Union. Additional details, including filing requirements and complaint forms, are available at: http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/atyourservice/interactiveguide.faces