AFRICAN DAMS, RIVERS AND RIGHTS

Date: 
Thursday, May 12, 2016

A Guide for Communities to Be Impacted by the Inga 3 Dam

The Inga 3 project involves the planned construction of a dam and a 4,800 MW hydroelectric plant at Inga Falls on the mighty Congo River, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Inga 3 will force more than 10,000 people to leave their homes, and many more people are likely to be impacted economicallyThis guide is intended for the communities who risk being displaced, whether physically (losing access to land or home) or economically (losing assets or access to resources for income and livelihood) by the construction and operation of the Inga 3 Dam project. 

The guide provides a summary of an industry best practice standard for resettlement: The World Bank Group International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standard 5 (PS5). PS5 is one of the eight Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability that was designed to help identify, avoid and minimize the harm to people and the environment that often results from large-scale development projects. Clients are required to apply these standards in projects funded by the IFC, and many other banks have also adopted them. This means that even if a bank other than the IFC funds a project, that bank may require its client to apply the IFC Performance Standards. The IFC Performance Standard 5 requires clients to prepare a Resettlement Action Plan, consult with affected communities about potential project impacts, and restore the livelihood of displaced people.