Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2023
Area: Brasil
AIIB Investment Amount: 200 million USD
Total Project Cost: 200 million USD
Co-financier:  -

E&S Category: FI

Project details: A USD 200 million on-lending facility to Banco BTG Pactual S.A. to expand renewable energy in Brazil, focusing on solar and wind projects, with goals of increasing installed capacity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and financing multiple clean energy initiatives.

 

Project Concerns: As a FI project, this investment raises concerns regarding transparency and accountability. Due to the nature of FI lending, the specific sub-projects financed under this facility are not disclosed, limiting public oversight. Without disclosure of the sub-projects, it remains uncertain how AIIB and its client will ensure adherence to environmental and social safeguards throughout implementation.

Further concerns arise from the profile of the intermediary. BTG Pactual appears on both sides of fossil fuel finance flows tracked by Urgewald’s databases.
BTG Pactual is not only listed as a financial institution, providing finance to fossil fuel companies, but also directly listed as oil and gas business receiving finance. The bank holds 1,441 million USD in assets in 45 companies active in oil, gas, and coal extraction. Providing financial support to a bank who is so deeply involved in fossil fuel business activities creates doubts about AIIB’s commitment to a genuine low-carbon transition.

Further information: 
AIIB Page

Last update: 22.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2025-?
Area: India
AIIB Investment Amount: 150 million USD in INR equivalent
Total Project Cost: 150 million USD
Co-financier:  - 

E&S Category: FI

Project details: The project aims provide 150 million USD in INR equivalent in debt financing to Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL), a 100% subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Limited, to support renewable energy and e-mobility projects in India, fostering a low-carbon transition and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through non-convertible debenture (NCD) financing. ABFL is a non-banking finance company providing lending and financing solutions in India, including project finance loans, corporate loans, SME loans and personal loans.
 

Project Concerns: Due to the project’s categorization as FI, decision-making lies with ABFL, raising concerns about transparency and oversight. The specific subprojects to be financed remain unclear. Relying on ABFL’s ESMS and E&S Policy for compliance with AIIB’s policies adds to the uncertainty regarding environmental and social impacts. Without disclosure of the subprojects, it is impossible to assess whether the financing truly supports a low-carbon transition or if it risks funding projects with unintended negative environmental or social consequences.

Further, the holding company Aditya Birla Capital has a total investment of 27,054 million USD in 32 companies active in the oil, gas and coal exploitation (listed on Urgewald’s Investing in Climate Chaos, see here). This raises concerns about AIIB’s financing potentially reinforcing fossil fuel-linked activities, however directly tracing these connections to the specific project remains difficult. Nevertheless, providing financial support to a company whose parent entity is so deeply involved in fossil fuel extraction creates doubts about AIIB’s commitment to a genuine low-carbon transition.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 27.03.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2024-2029
Area: Côte d’Ivoire
AIIB Investment Amount: 200 million USD
Total Project Cost: 571.2 million USD
Co-financier: World Bank

E&S Category: B

Project details: The project aims to upgrade and climate-proof roads in 11 regions of northern Côte d’Ivoire, enhancing transport connectivity and access to essential services. It includes climate-resilient rural infrastructure, support of agricultural logistics, and strengthening of institutional capacity for road safety and maintenance.

 

Project Concerns: 

The project raises several concerns, including probable land loss, occupation of private or public land by construction equipment, and destruction of crops. The ESMF explicitly points out the risk of involuntary resettlement or economic displacement due to possible expropriation. 
Based on the latest available documents, the first road construction is scheduled to begin in Q1 2025, but as of now, no data is available on the specific resettlement impact or the number of affected people. This is highly concerning since construction might have already started.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 25.03.2025

Status: Proposed
Timeframe: 2025-2027
Area: North Dhaka, Bangladesh
AIIB Investment Amount: 100 million USD
Total Project Cost: 467 million USD
Co-financier: New Development Bank (NDB)

E&S Category: A

Project details: The project will develop a 42.5 MW waste-to-energy (WtE) facility in North Dhaka, processing municipal solid waste aiming to reduce landfill use and generate energy. Located near the Amin Bazar landfill, it includes four incineration lines, two 35 MW turbo-generator systems, a six-kilometer transmission line, and long-term agreements with government agencies for implementation, power purchase, waste supply, and land use.

 

Project Concerns: The project raises serious environmental, social and procedural concerns. Expected to release 8.3 million tons of greenhouse gases over 25 years, the plants emissions surpass those of coal plants and include harmful pollutants like dioxins and heavy metals. 

Dhaka’s waste has high moisture and low calorific value, making energy generation inefficient and increasing methane emissions, which contradicts Bangladesh’s climate commitments. Additionally, Dhaka lacks a reliable waste collection system, creating risks of penalties if waste supply targets are not met. 

Socially, the project places a significant burden on the government, which will pay BDT 25.56 per unit—more than double the current electricity cost—resulting in an additional 2 billion USD in expenses. Despite these concerns, no environmental, social, or economic feasibility studies were conducted before project approval from the government.

The project also requires 30 acres of land, and land acquisition and resettlement are anticipated.

CSO reports: CLEAN factsheet

Organization monitoring: Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN)

Further information: AIIB Page; NDB Page

Last update: 24.02.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2024-2025 
Area: Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 150 million USD
Total Project Cost: 2,543 million USD
Co-financier: ADB

E&S Category: A

Project details:

The project involves the development of a 1,500 MW wind power plant and a 300 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan. Implemented by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) majority-owned by ACWA Power, the project includes a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan as the offtaker. It aims to enhance renewable energy capacity and support Uzbekistan's transition to clean energy. It includes the installation 800km of overhead transmission lines (OHTL) through Uzbekistan.

 

Project Concerns: 

The OHTL will affect the livelihood of over 200 farmers due to restricted land use and physically displace 5 households according to the available documents. The level of severity to which the over 200 farmers are affected is not specified in available documentation.  

According to the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (ESIA) no indigenous people are affected by the project, even though no indigenous people assessment was conducted. The local Karakalpak people have their own language, are attached to the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan and have their own identity. They are also a minority group under threat after the Aral Sea ecological catastrophe. 

The project faces significant concerns in terms of biodiversity and endangered species. It includes no cumulative impact assessment with other infrastructure projects in the area and no landscape scale assessment. The OHTL would pose a significant threat to the Asian houbara bustard, a globally vulnerable bird whose collision with transmission lines cannot be mitigated. 

The project would facilitate the access of poachers to the Ustyurt plateau – one of the wildest and most inaccessible areas in Central Asia. 

Further, the project is in close proximity to the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan UNESCO Heritage Site (including the Ustyurt National Park). Due to the proximity of the project and the national park there is an ongoing disagreement about the size of the buffer zone between ACWA Power and the responsible government agency for the park. The draft ESIA does not acknowledge the UNESCO Heritage Site and has serious shortcomings and transparency concerns. 

The AIIB approved the project in January 2025 without a final ESIA, while the lead bank ADB is still reviewing the draft ESIA and has not yet made a financing decision.

Organizations monitoring: CEE Bankwatch Network, IUCN SSC Bustard Specialist Group

CSO reports: CEE Bankwatch Network: Kungrad 1-3 Wind Power Project

Further information: 

AIIB Website

ADB Website

Ornithological Society of the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia (OSME) Article

Last update: 17.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2024
Area: Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 30 million USD (in CNY)
Total Project Cost: 30 million USD
Co-financier:  -

E&S Category: FI

Project details: The project aims to support climate change mitigation in Uzbekistan by financing energy efficiency and renewable energy sub-projects, including rooftop solar installations. It involves a USD 30 million five-year, senior unsecured loan to Asakabank, denominated in CNY (approximately CNY 215 million). The loan proceeds will be on-lent to eligible subprojects focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.

 

Project Concerns: Due to the projects categorization as FI the decision-making lays with Asakabank, raising concerns about transparency. The specific subprojects to be financed are unclear, as only unspecified conditions and AIIB's ESP requirements must be met. Relying on Asakabank’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) for compliance with AIIB’s policies adds to the uncertainty regarding environmental and social impacts.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 19.06.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2020 - ?
Area: Burkhara Region, Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 165.5 million USD
Total Project Cost: 214.7 million USD
Co-financier:  Government of Uzbekistan

E&S Category: B

Project details: The project aims to enhance road efficiency, safety, and climate resilience of major cross-border roads in Bukhara, Karakalpakstan, and Khorezm regions. It involves rehabilitating and maintaining a critical section of international road A380 (km 150+000 to km 228+000) and includes construction supervision, technical audit consultancy, project preparation, institutional strengthening, and equipment purchase for innovative contracting methodologies. Components focus on rehabilitation, detailed design, capacity building, and equipment procurement to modernize road infrastructure and management practices.

 

Project Concerns: The project will lead to economic displacement due to loss of land and subsequent loss of farm income. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (EISA) raises several concerns as it presents conflicting information regarding the scale and effects of land acquisition and the nature of the acquisitions. The land needed to be acquired varies from 5.6 hectare (ha) of land to 7.41 ha in the report. While the report states the land acquisition will lead to loss of livelihood through income losses stemming from reduced farm activities the reasoning of the compensation for land plots states low economic impact and no need for land-to-land compensation. This raises another concern regarding the nature of these acquisitions. It appears questionable that there is no demand for land-to-land compensation in any instances, particularly given the country's historical record of forced 'voluntary' land lease terminations. Given these contradictions there seems to be a lack of transparency and integrity throughout the project in need of clarification.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 15.05.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2023 - ?
Area: Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 145 million USD
Total Project Cost: 634 million USD
Co-financier:  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC)
Energy type: Solar

E&S Category: B

Project details: The project aims to supports Uzbekistan's energy transition through expanding solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. It entails designing, financing, constructing, and operating three solar PV independent power plants, totaling 897 MW (Samarkand 220MW, Jizzakh 220MW, and Sherabad 457MW). Developed by Masdar, selected via international competitive tender, the project involves interconnection facilities. Each plant has separate long-term power purchase agreements with JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan, supported by government agreements and land leases.

 

Project Concerns: 

Jizzakh site

In Jizzakh, concerns arise over the loss of grazing and agricultural land, compounded by insufficient compensation processes identified by EBRD for lease terminations done before the project start. Due to the loss of land and the consequential livelihood loss economic displacement is the major concern.

Samarkand site

Similarly, in Samarkand, the loss of grazing and agricultural land, particularly community grazing areas is concerning. Four households that held sub-lease agreements will experience land loss.

Sherabad site

In Sherabad, the project's land requirements impact 24 households, primarily leaseholds used for commercial farming. Although interview findings suggest the affected grazing land is inferior to its surroundings, its loss still affects livelihoods, especially during grazing in spring months. In conclusion the land loss for grazing and farming will have adverse effects.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 09.05.2024 

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2020 - ?
Area: Shirin, Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 100 million USD
Total Project Cost: 1.02 billion USD
Co-financier:  EBRD, DEG, OPEC Fund for International Development, ACWA Power Sirdarya LLC
Energy type: Gas

E&S Category: A

Project details: The project aims to enhance high-efficiency gas power generation capacity in Uzbekistan by constructing, operating, and maintaining a 1,500MW greenfield combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant. ACWA Power is developing the project as an Independent Power Producer (IPP), under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with JSC National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan (NENU) since March 2020.
 

Project Concerns: 

The project requires the acquisition of 84 hectares of agricultural land directly impacting 12 farms that were either leasing or subleasing the land. The termination of leases by authorities in 2020, despite some farmers having over 20 years remaining on their contracts, as per ACWA Power documentation, exacerbates concerns.

Adverse effects on the livelihoods of workers employed on farms and at a nearby gas station is anticipated. This includes approximately 110 seasonal workers and 80 permanent workers for the farms, yet the extent of their vulnerability remains unclear, particularly concerning their employment stability and wages. The 18 employees of the gas station are expected to receive lower wages during the project construction due to disruption of business and fuel supply of the gas station.

The destruction of fruit trees, other vegetation, and grazing grounds compounds the challenges faced by affected farmers.

There is a possibility of further adverse effects, such as additional land acquisition and livelihood disruptions, if a sanitary protection zone is deemed necessary by the authorities. However, there have been no updates in documentation on this matter since 2020.

There are no implementation monitoring reports available and the documentation on the EBRD is inaccessible. This raises concerns regarding the transparency of the project. This lack of information hinders stakeholders' ability to monitor the project's progress and advocate effectively for their rights.

Further information: AIIB Page, ACWA Power Page

Last update: 17.04.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2016-2022
Area: Pakistan, Punjab Province, between Shorkot and Khanewal
AIIB Investment Amount: 100 million USD
Total Project Cost: 273 million USD
Co-financier:  Asian Development Bank; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office United Kingdom; Government of Pakistan

E&S Category: A

Project details: The project constructed a 62 km four-lane, access-controlled motorway connecting Shorkot and Khanewal in Punjab Province, which was the last missing section of the national motorway M-4 to be constructed.
 

Project Concerns: The project forced resettlement of 2754 persons, alongside the acquisition of approximately 1616.7 acres of private land spanning 35 villages. This acquisition encompassed 4715 acres of agricultural land, subsequently withdrawn from productive use.

The project led to the felling of 91661 trees.

During  a field visit of PakAid in August 2023 to the  affected areas, it was revealed that proper consultations were not conducted with residents, and landowners were not asked for price for their land. Most residents, being illiterate, were told to sign documents and collect payment without fully understanding the process. Additionally, people were not informed about the complaint mechanism. When they lodged complaints at the Deputy Commissioner Office, their grievances were rejected and redirected to the NHA (National Highway Authority) in Islamabad. The lengthy distance from Shorkot to Islamabad disheartened the residents, leading them to abandon their efforts.

Organization monitoring: PakAid Pakistan

Further information: AIIB Page, PakAid Case Study

Last update: 26.05.2024

Status:  Approved
Timeframe: 2020-2025
Area: Burkhara Region, Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 385.1 million USD
Total Project Cost: 437.62 million USD
Co-financier:  Government of Uzbekistan

E&S Category: A

Project details: The project aims to enhance access to safe water and sanitation services in Bukhara Region while bolstering the efficiency of the regional water utility. Key investments include the construction and rehabilitation of water supply infrastructure such as intakes, main water lines, treatment facilities, and distribution networks. Additionally, centralized sewage systems will be built in district centers comprising collectors, pumping stations, treatment plants and discharge facilities.

Project Concerns: Involuntary resettlement is anticipated for the project, with the E&S Category indicating potential large-scale impact. According to the RPF a Resettlement Plan should be developed for each sub-site before construction start. The RPF lacks specifics regarding the extent of involuntary resettlement expected for the project. 

According to the Project Implementation Report of July 2023 one family has been resettled thus far, although AIIB has yet to obtain official documentation pertaining to completed compensation. As the tendering of construction work is still ongoing, Resettlement Plans are not yet available. 

Further information: AIIB page

Last update: 10.04.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2022 - 2026
Area: Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 108 million USD
Total Project Cost: 445.65 million USD
Co-financier: Asian Development Bank, Government of Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan Railways

E&S Category: A

Project details: The project aims to enhance freight and passenger railway services in Western Uzbekistan by electrifying the Bukhara-Miskin-Urgench-Khiva line. It involves upgrading the existing 465 km railway with electrification, signaling, telecommunication, and traction power management systems.

 

Project Concerns: The project presents notable concerns regarding economic resettlement and land impact. With over 27 hectares permanently and 548 hectares temporarily affected, including 8 hectares permanently and 154 hectares temporarily of agricultural land, affected individuals face significant hardships. 

Moreover, the absence of a finalized Land Acquisition and Resettlement Development Plan (LARDP) obscures clarity on land acquisition and involuntary resettlement processes. Additionally, the unavailability of Environmental and Social (E&S) documentation from the client poses transparency issues, as the referenced site by AIIB appears vacant.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 03.04.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2021 - 2027
Area: Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 100 million USD
Total Project Cost: 240 million USD
Co-financier:  World Bank, Government of Uzbekistan

E&S Category: B

Project details: The project aims to enhance urban infrastructure in secondary cities. It includes investment in water supply, sanitation, energy efficiency, and urban regeneration. Additionally, it focuses on institutional strengthening, capacity building, and supporting sustainable urbanization policies. Emergency response measures are supposed to ensure flexibility in crisis situations.

 

Project Concerns: The project leads to potential involuntary resettlement and land acquisition issues, particularly concerning the construction of a new water pumping station and the installation of water and sewerage pipelines in the Arbagish settlement area of Chartak district. Both permanent and temporary land acquisitions are anticipated, affecting agricultural and urban lands, as well as farmers, households, and businesses. 

The absence of updated documentation regarding the project's progress, design, and resettlement data raises significant concerns.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 03.04.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2022 - 2027
Area: Burkhara Region, Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 248.4 million USD
Total Project Cost: 281.3 million USD
Co-financier:  Government of Uzbekistan 

E&S Category: A

Project details:

The project aims to enhance water and sanitation services in Uzbekistan's Bukhara Region, bolstering the operational performance of the local water utility. It represents the second phase of a broader initiative by the government to extend these services comprehensively across the region. Key components include investment in water supply infrastructure, covering districts Gijduvon, Vobkent, and Shofirkon, and sewage infrastructure, including centralized systems in district centers and the extension of sewerage networks in Bukhara City. 
 

Project Concerns: 

Resettlement and land acquisition are very likely to take place. The project is categorized as Category A, implying the potential for large-scale resettlement. As the subproject sites are not yet determined the actual scale of resettlement and land acquisition are unclear until now. The census to provide data on the affected people and land is not carried out yet. Additionally, there are concerns the project documents will not be published within the 60-day deadline prior to approval.

Further Information: AIIB Page

Last update: 15.03.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2024-?
Area: Cambodia, Pursat and Sangker River Basin
AIIB Investment Amount: USD 80 million
Total Project Cost: USD 176 million
Co-financier: ADB, Government of Cambodia

E&S Category: B

Project Details: 
The project aims to improve the irrigation water availibility in the dry season and to manage wet season flooding. 

Project concerns: 
The project requires land acquisition of agricultural land of private households along the irrigation canals and for the construction of flooding controlling schemes. The project is situated in areas possibly inhabited by ethnic Cham communities. These communities will also be impacted by land acquisition. 

The project is expected to affect approximately 231 households or 975 people, including the physical relocation of 169 people. At least 21 businesses will be impacted permanently, affecting 110 people. An estimated 36 households (179 people) will suffer major livelihood impacts due to business loss, resettlement or both.

During operation the project is expected to have negative impacts on soil degradation, community health and safety and long-term sustainability due to potential water use conflicts.

Further Information:
AIIB Page

Last update: 09.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2023- ? 
Area: Tajikistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 500 million USD
Total Project Cost Completion: estimated at more than USD 6.4 billion (this does not include previous expenditure. The dam was built from 1976-1991 and from 2006-2024. The total cost of completing the project should include expenditures already made: USD 1.4 billion in Soviet times and USD 3.6 billion by Tajikistan)
Co-financier:  
WB: 700 million USD
EIB: 550 million USD
ADB: 500 million USD
IsDB: 150 million USD
OPEC Fund: 100 million USD
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development: 100 million USD
Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development: 100 million USD
Saudi Fund for Development: 100 million USD
Bilateral Agencies (unidentified): 450 million USD
Borrowing Agency: 1250 million USD
Borrower: 2140 million USD

Provision of financial data shows discrepancies between the different co-financiers. All data used from the WB. WB also coordinates “Rogun Coordination Group” with  Saudi-Arabian Development Bank, and 10 other development partners. Guarantee possible by EU. Associated infrastructure financed by ADB and EBRD.

E&S Category: A

Project details:
The project supports building a 3,780 MW hydropower plant in Tajikistan, featuring a 335-meter-high dam and a 170 km2 reservoir (the Three Gorges dam is "only" 185-meter high, and has a 1.085 km2 reservoir). It aims to enhance energy security, promote renewables, and improve cross-border connectivity. The reservoir is said to enable seasonal energy regulation and potential clean energy exports to Central Asia. In Phase 1, AIIB is considering an USD 269 million investment, with further phases reviewed later, based on progress.

Project Concerns: 
Resettlement and Stakeholder engagement 
According to the updated Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of 2023 the project leads to the involuntary resettlement of 46,628 people from 69 villages in Rogun, Nurobod, and Rasht districts. In a country marked by a dismal record in human rights and a high level of corruption this is particularly concerning.
Resettlement is carried out in phases the current phase two (until 2025) will resettle 13,000 people. The document fails to specify the number of affected villages and people who won't be resettled but will suffer from the project's impacts, e.g. income loss due to flooding of agricultural lands.

Phase one of resettlement has been highly problematic with Human Rights Watch finding resettled people without adequate compensation to restore their livelihoods and severe impacts on access to housing, food, water and education. However, the WB audit report of 2018 states all people have received adequate compensation.

Reports, as the one by Human Rights Watch, indicate declining living standards since resettlement due to land loss, lack of employment, and inadequate access to essential services. Homes of non-resettled people suffer damage from construction vibrations. Since 2015 there has been no independent report, including media coverage, on Rogun HPP in regard to resettlement. 

Between 2008 and 2014, the World Bank made efforts to secure international financing for the Rogun HPP, which included five international regional consultations and numerous stakeholder engagement events. However, at present, there are no meaningful regional consultations held. The ESIA has not been fully disclosed, and there is a lack of new project materials available in the Tajik language on the website of the project proponents or the World Bank. This absence raises doubts whether free, prior, and meaningful consultations were conducted locally.

CEE Bankwatch submitted a comprehensive comment focussing on the social costs of Rogun to the Worldbank on April 14^th 2024. 

Carbon impact
With a carbon intensity of 102 grams of eCO2 annum/kwh, this hydropower project cannot be considered "green" and will not substantially aid in the decarbonization of Tajikistan's economy. Furthermore, if the completion timeframe extends beyond 2040, any regional climate mitigation plans relying on this project will be incompatible with the urgent need for timely climate action.

Biodiversity
Vakhsh River and Amu-Darya River are home to critically endangered fish species, namely two varieties of shovelnose sturgeon. However, the ESIA fails to evaluate the impacts on and the future well-being of these species.

The Tugay Forests within the Tigrovaya Balka World Heritage property are situated in the floodplain of the Vakhsh River, downstream from a hydropower cascade dominated by the Rogun HPP. Despite explicit requests outlined in the ESIA Terms of Reference (ToR), the resulting ESIA neglects to assess potential impacts and strategies for safeguarding these floodplain ecosystems through environmental flow management.

Water management
The Rogun reservoir, boasting an active capacity surpassing 10 cubic kilometers of water, holds the potential to significantly alter seasonal water flows within the Lower Vakhsh River and Amu-Darya River. Such alterations could precipitate environmental degradation and socio-economic crises. However, these prospective impacts are currently unaddressed in the ESIA, despite considerable public concern surrounding this matter.

The cumulative impact assessment of the project ignores the broader context of water resources management in the Amu-Darya Basin. This basin is currently facing a severe water crisis due to inadequately planned water infrastructure, both old and new. For instance, the ongoing construction of the Qosh-Tepa Canal in Afghanistan adds to these challenges.

Downstream populations in Tajikistan and neighboring countries face economic displacement from altered river flows caused by the Rogun HPP reservoir and other regional large-scale projects. The ESIA lacks analysis of their environmental and economic impacts, neglecting consultation with these communities. Approximately 10 million people depend on downstream river flows, facing potential negative environmental and economic consequences.
 

Financing
The IMF and the OECD have identified excessive expenditure on the Rogun HPP as having the most negative impact on other state investments in crucial infrastructure, healthcare systems, and education. The proposed "phased" financial arrangement is not solving but exacerbating this problem. Meanwhile, Tajikistan is gearing up to allocate up to 0.45 billion USD to this project in 2024.

Despite concerns the IMF signed a PCI deal with Tajikistan, giving it exemption to borrow non-concessional loans for Rogun specifically as it is "very important development project".

From 2006 to 2023, the projected total cost of constructing the Rogun HPP has surged from 3 to 9.6 billion USD, averaging a 15% annual increase. The Project Information Document indicates the likelihood of further cost escalations in 2024. The feasibility of completing the "tallest dam in the world" is increasingly questionable in terms of competitiveness against potential alternatives. However, these alternatives remain unexplored in the "updated ESIA."
 

Geopolitical concerns
The construction of the Rogun Dam has the potential to revive the legacy of geopolitical rivalry in the region. Historically, tensions between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, driven by geopolitical, economic, and political factors, were once triggered by the Rogun Dam construction. Tajikistan prioritizes energy security, while Uzbekistan fears potential impacts on its crucial cotton sector and ecological equilibrium. Previous disputes disrupted economic activities, and the prospect of interstate conflict over the dam further complicates the situation. Climate change exacerbates these tensions by diminishing water supply. Economic apprehensions include risks to Uzbekistan's cotton industry and social opposition. Disagreements over water release timing underscore broader geopolitical and historical issues in the region.

Despite the current non-confrontational stance of Uzbekistan's leadership towards Tajik initiatives, the fundamental issue of water deficit and the substantial potential negative impact of the Rogun reservoir's filling and operation remain unresolved. The project's multifaceted concerns involve the potential for regional conflicts and environmental consequences.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring:
Climate Diplomacy, Rivers without Boundaries, CEE Bankwatch, NGO Forum on ADB, Green Alternative, CounterCurrent – GegenStrömung, International Rivers, ReCommon, CounterBalance

Rivers Without Boundaries Project Concerns  and updated
Climate Diplomacy Conflict Analysis

Complaint by Rivers Without Boundaries to the World Bank
 

Further information: 
Rogun Dam Exposed
AIIB Project Website 
World Bank Project Website 
World Bank, Key Issues for Consideration on the Proposed Rogun Hydropower Project
Constructors Project Website 
Early Warning System Project Summery 



 Last update: 17.01.2025

Status: Proposed
Timeframe: 2020- ?
Area: Izmir, Turkey
AIIB Investment Amount: EUR 125 million
Total Project Cost: EUR 650 million
Co-financier:  EBRD, AFD and other lenders

E&S Category: B

Project details:
The project involves building a new 13.4 km metro line (M2) in Izmir, connecting central areas to a heavily populated district. It aims to ease traffic by offering efficient public transport, includes 11 stations and interchanges with existing lines, and will take about 4 years to complete.
 

Project Concerns: 
Construction impacts are expected around new stations, with measures outlined in the Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) to address concerns such as temporary disruption to local businesses, occupational health and safety, cultural heritage preservation, and waste management. The project is not anticipated to affect biodiversity or nature reserves.

The Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) for this phase is not finalized, and it is unclear if it is in preparation. At present, they are referring to an Action Plan developed for the previous phases of the project. 

Further information: 
AIIB Project Description
EBRD Project Description 

Last update: 07.02.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2023- ?
Area: Turkey, 
AIIB Investment Amount: USD 250 million
Total Project Cost: USD 1,100 million
Co-financier: World Bank 
E&S Category: B

Project details:
The project aims to boost efficiency and resilience in Turkey's railway system. It includes installing modern systems along a 660-kilometer corridor, improving infrastructure like bridges and stations, and deploying digital tech for enhanced safety and network strength.

Project Concerns:
There is documented presence of several Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA), national parks, lakes, rivers/streams, and critical habitats in the vicinity of the railway alignment.

It is emphasized that the project is expected to require land, primarily state-owned land along the railway route. Resettlements are anticipated, mainly from state forest areas, pastureland, and private land.

During the project’s operational phase, in some parts of the alignment (e.g., where station buildings and facilities will be rehabilitated or expanded), increased rail traffic and use of these facilities may cause some impacts that are expected to be mitigated, such as elevated noise levels. Other community health and safety risks may include temporary dust, noise, traffic congestion and localized exposure to construction site accidents, and potential damage of crops.

The ESIA lists problems without a corresponding action plan. No action plan is currently available. The World Bank has been commissioned to prepare an action plan; reference is only made to another project where such a plan exists: here and here.

The suggested use of borrower systems is a matter of concern and should be monitored. 

Further information:
AIIB Project-Website

Last update: 21.01.2025

Status: Approved
TimeFrame: 2020-? 
Area: Istanbul, Turkey
AIIB Investment Amount: EUR 125 million
Total Project Cost: EUR 1.2 billion
Co-financier: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other Lenders: Rönesans Holding A.Ş. (Rönesans or the Sponsor), Meridiam SAS (Meridiam)
 

E&S Category: A
 

Project details:
The Project aims to complete the eighth section of the long-term project (20 years) North Marmara Highway (NMH and is part of the long-term (20 years) General Directorate of Highways (KGM)’s Development Program), planning to connect Asia and Europe. Constructing a 30.64-kilometer toll road, including a cable-stayed bridge, linking Nakkaş and Başakşehir in Istanbul. Once completed, it's expected to boost economic activity in Istanbul, improve regional connectivity, ease city traffic jams, promote electric vehicles, and prioritize climate-resilient design against extreme weather.

Project Concerns:
Significant land acquisition and involuntary resettlement; presence of cultural heritage sites (12 sites), biodiversity:

1. The Project involves the substantial acquisition of land and involuntary resettlement, impacting areas with cultural heritage sites (12 in total) and affecting biodiversity. The total land area to be permanently acquired by the Project is approximately 550 hectares. The Project will influence 1,523 land parcels, with over 80% privately owned, and one-third being agricultural land.
 

2. In addition to economic displacement, the Project will physically displace 8 households and 14 businesses. Five businesses will be partially affected by land acquisition but will still be able to continue their operations. A Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) has been developed to outline mitigation, compensation, and livelihood restoration measures.

3. The Project crosses through internationally recognized areas: the International Bird Area (IBA) and Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), as well as the West Istanbul Grasslands Important Plant Area (IPA). The assessment has concluded that these areas are heavily degraded and can no longer support biodiversity.
 

Further information: 

AIIB Website
EBRD Website
Environmental and Social Action Plan
Science Direct Study 

Last update: 07.02.2024

Status: Proposed
Timeframe: 2018-?
Estimated Date of Board Consideration: 2019 Q4
Area: Tamakoshi river/basin in Janakpur, Nepal
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 112 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 165 million
Co-financier: GoN/NEA

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project aims to bridge the supply and demand gap by injecting extra power into the national grid, while also contributing to grid stability and meeting the daily peak demand.

Capacity: 101 MW

Resettlement: According to early estimates in the Project Summary, 35 households (consisting of approximately 177 individuals) are expected to be affected by land acquisition impacts, primarily in terms of economic displacement, with only two of these households expected to experience physical displacement.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Case Study from urgewald & CEMSOJ 

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 07.02.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2018-2024
Area: Indonesia, Mandalika region of Lombok
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 248.4 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 316.5 million
Co-financier: Government of Indonesia (GoI); Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project aims to develop sustainable core infrastructure for a new tourism destination in Mandalika, Lombok as part of the “10 New Balis” strategy. Focused on Phase I (2019–2023), it includes the construction of essential infrastructure within Mandalika and improvements in nearby communities 

Project concerns:

Resettlement
150 households are facing involuntary resettlement. While all land acquisition and resettlement issues were supposed to be settled by 2019, the community believes that land conflicts are not over, citing their experiences with intimidation and coercion tactics and land for which they were not fully compensated.
Living conditions in resettlement areas are poor, with inadequate access to basic necessities like drinking water. The project’s resettlement framework downplays forced displacement and excludes many from compensation by restricting eligibility to formal landowners. Women face increased unpaid care responsibilities and financial strain due to disrupted livelihoods and limited support.

Environmental
Significant environmental impacts, including deforestation, vegetation loss, and dredging, which accelerate erosion, harm biodiversity, and contribute to climate change. These activities have led to declining fish populations and increased natural resource scarcity, disproportionately affecting local communities, especially women.

Organizations monitoring: Due to the potential risk of reprisal, we are unable to disclose the name of the organizations currently involved in monitoring this particular case.

AIIB interactions to date: In 2021, independent experts from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights criticized AIIB practices and their lack of due diligence. In a response statement, the AIIB denies any accusations of “coercion, direct use of force and intimidation relating to land acquisition and resettlement”, reiterating their commitment to the Bank’s ESF. In September 2022, the bank once again released a statement responding to the continued displacement of Indigenous communities stating that during their field visit earlier the year, the project was proceeding well, and there was still no evidence of intimidation or coercion.

Further information: AIIB Page; Stiftung Asienhaus; OHCHR; Süddeutsche Zeitung; UN News; Mongabay News; Case study by CSOs

Last update: 12.05.2025

Status: Approved (but loan agreement not signed yet)
Timeframe: 2022-2023
Area: Cambodia
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 100 million
Total Project Cost: Up to US$ 100 million

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: The project is a non-sovereign backed loan to ACLEDA Bank (ACLEDA), to expand its lending to eligible private sector micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Cambodia.

Resettlement: The frequent use of land titles as collateral for microloans in Cambodia, combined with reports of predatory lending and abusive collection practices, has been widely criticized for dispossessing borrowers of their land without the use of legal foreclosure methods and contributing to poverty and involuntary resettlement. Reported abuses include the microloan activities of ACLEDA Bank Plc., which this AIIB project will be funding.

Organizations monitoring: Equitable Cambodia; Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)

AIIB interactions to date: In November 2022, a number of CSOs released a joint statement to ensure that necessary reforms are made to Cambodia’s microfinance sector prior to any new investments, including the return of land titles to borrowers and remuneration for victims of predatory lending and collection practices. In a response statement, AIIB representatives acknowledged “systemic issues” in the market and stated that those issues are under “internal review.”

Further information: AIIB Page; China.Table Article (German); Cambodia News Today (Chinese); MFICambodia (Khmer, English, German); südostasien (German)

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved (but loan agreement not signed yet)
Timeframe: 2022-?
Area: Cambodia
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 75 million
Total Project Cost: Up to US$ 75 million

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: The project is a non-sovereign backed loan to PRASAC Microfinance Institution Plc. (PRASAC), to support and expand its lending to eligible private-sector micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Cambodia.

Resettlement: The frequent use of land titles as collateral fomedium-sized in Cambodia, combined with reports of predatory lending and abusive collection practices, has been widely criticized for dispossessing borrowers of their land without the use of legal foreclosure methods and contributing to poverty and involuntary resettlement. Reported abuses include the microloan activities of PRASAC Microfinance Institution Plc., which this AIIB project will be funding.

Organizations monitoring: Equitable Cambodia; Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)

AIIB interactions to date: In November 2022, a number of CSOs released a joint statement to ensure that necessary reforms are made to Cambodia’s microfinance sector prior to any new investments, including the return of land titles to borrowers and remuneration for victims of predatory lending and collection practices. In a response statement AIIB representatives acknowledge “systemic issues” in the market and stated that those issues are under “internal review.”

Further information: AIIB Page; China.Table Article (German); Cambodia News Today (Chinese); MFICambodia (Khmer, English, German); südostasien (German)

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2021
Area: Bangladesh, between Chittagong and Bakhrabad
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 60 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 453 million
Co-financier: ADB: US$ 167 million; Government of Bangladesh: US$ 226 million

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project sets out to improve efficiency in gas production at the Titas Gas Field and to build a 181 km pipeline between Chattogram and Bakhrabad.

Resettlement: According to the updated Resettlement Plan by the ADB from October 2021, in total 802 title-holding households will be displaced by the project. Another 101 non-titled households also face resettlement. While not suffering the loss of residential structures, nearly 8000 further households are in some way affected by land acquisition.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Recourse (BIC), Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) and NGO Forum on ADB, July 2019: Dangerous Distractions

AIIB interactions to date: The publication "Dangerous Distractions" has been shared with AIIB management and shareholders.

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 09.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2016-2019
Area: Rural areas and North Dhaka, People's Republic of Bangladesh
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 165 million committed; US$ 144.22 million disbursed; US$ 20.88 million cancelled.
Total Project Cost: US$ 262.29 million
Co-financier: Stand-alone project. Financing gaps will be covered by the Government or the respective Executing Agencies (EAs).

E&S Category: B

Project Details: The project has the issue to enhance distribution capacity and increase the number of rural and urban electricity consumers in Bangladesh.

Resettlement: Due to the construction work more than 5,000 hawkers were displaced from an area, but they never received compensation since the area was not listed in the E&S review.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Recourse (BIC) (2019): Dangerous Distractions Report

AIIB interactions to date: Publication Dangerous Distractions has been shared with AIIB management and shareholders

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023
 

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2022-?
Area: Bangladesh, Narayanganj District, Dudhghata, Korbanpur and Chanderchak villages
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 110 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 613 million
Co-financier: Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), OPEC Fund, and Standard Chartered Bank (with Swiss Export Risk Insurance (SERV) providing policy cover to Standard Chartered Bank)

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The Project involves the design, financing, engineering, construction, operation, and maintenance of a 584-megawatt (MW) greenfield gas-fired combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant on a Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis, to be implemented as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) facility.

Capacity: 584-megawatt (MW)
Construction Company: Unique Meghnaghat Power Limited (UMPL)

Resettlement: Total 21.07 acres of mostly single crop agricultural land has been directly procured from the local villages based on one-to-one negotiation for setting up the project. Based on a review of the UHRL’s Annual Report, it is evident that the local people did not receive fair compensation in exchange for their land, which was not valued at current market rates, let alone at adjusted rates to take into consideration the implied long term losses to family income that could have been generated through the use of the land.

CSO reports: Recourse and partners Case Study

Organizations monitoring: BWGED


Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2019
Area: Kutba Union, Burhanuddin Upazila, Bhola District, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 60 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 271 million
Co-financier: Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL): US$ 30 million; Islamic Development Bank (ISDB): US$ 60 million

E&S Category: B

Project Details: This 220-225 Megawatt power plant is being constructed by public and private companies and is based on High Speed Diesel and Natural Gas.

Capacity: 220-225 MW
Construction Company: Nutan Bidyut Bangladesh Limited (NBBL)

Resettlement: According to the most recent project documents (January 2018), 68 households face land acquisition including economic resettlement. A smaller number of 5 households are forced to physically relocate entirely because of the project. It is reported that the affected people have already been compensated. The local farmers on the other hand state that they were forced to sell their land against a lower rate fixed by the buyers or in some cases, NBBL only grabbed the land without paying anything.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: CLEAN (2018)- Bhola IPP and its Impact on Local Communities: Voices from the Ground: A Civil Society Study Report

AIIB interactions to date: None

Further information: AIIB Page
 

Last update: 31.12.2023 

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2019-2022
Area: Bangladesh, Chittagong, Bhola
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 120 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 176.6 million
Co-financier: Government: US$ 46.39 million; PGCB: US$ 10.21 million

E&S Category: B

Project Details: This Transmission and Distribution aims to increase the regional power load to 1,400 Megawatt by building more than 46 kilometers of double-circuit transmission line in the Chattogram Ring, surrounding the city, with associated substations and line bays.
Resettlement: The project may be required to take lands from private landowners during the construction of electricity towers.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: CLEAN (2021): Financing Fossil Fuels Failing our Future

AIIB interactions to date: The publication "Dangerous Distractions" has been shared with AIIB management and shareholders.

Further information: AIIB Page; CLEAN Fact Sheet

Last update: 09.04.2025
 

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2016-?
Area: Taungtha, Myingyan District in Mandalay Division, Myanmar
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 20 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 304 million
Co-financier: Asian Development Bank: US$ 143 million (+ US$ 110 guarantee); World Bank (International Finance Corporation): US$ 75 million; Others, e.g. UK ́s Private Infrastructure Development Group

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project involves the development, construction, and operation of a greenfield 225 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power plant in the Mandalay region of Myanmar.

Total Capacity: 225 MW
Construction Company: Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd and MMID Utilities Pte Ltd

Resettlement: A detailed survey of land use along the proposed cooling water intake line is on-going, but early indications are that approximately 5 to 10 families of settlers without land titles or legal claims occupying the irrigation canal will be affected with the potential effects including physical displacement of small businesses, homes, and removal of small plantations of fruit trees. On the other hand, the construction of the electricity transmission line will result in the permanent loss of very limited areas of agricultural land required for the construction of the footprint of the transmission towers.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Recourse (2020); BIC Europe (2018)


Further information: 
AIIB Page
Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2019-2023
Area: Sikeut to Songpeuay market to Phonhong, close to Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 40 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 128.2 million
Co-financier: World Bank (IDA): US$ 40.2 million; Nordic Development Fund: US$ 9.5 million; Lao government: US$ 38.5 million.

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project comprises two components: the widening of a road just North of the capital Vientiane and the renovation of the same road a bit further north along the stretch between Songpeuay Market and Phonhong.

Resettlement: In total, 2441 households are affected by land acquisition for the widening of the road. Furthermore, 8 residential structures face demolition meaning that households will have to resettle. Out of all affected households, 378 households belong to families headed by single women without families. They ask for land compensation and reconstruction of their homes and businesses. They request for livelihood restoration prior to the demolition of their houses and vendor places.

AIIB interactions to date: Talk with World Bank Country director in October 2019 about resettlement issues.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2027
Area: Asia Region (China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand)
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 150 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 640 million
Co-financier: IFC: US$ 150 million; Other Investors: US$ 340 million

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: The Fund is an Emerging Asia growth-focused private equity fund with a returns-driven strategy, selectively investing growth capital across multiple sectors.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Recourse, SOMO, Inclusive Development International (IDI) (2018) – Shwe Taung Cement Case Study;
Recourse, SOMO, Inclusive Development International (IDI) (2018) – Moving Beyond Rhetoric: How the AIIB can close the loophole on fossil fuels;

AIIB interactions to date: Various in person/online meetings with bank management and project team leads, in particular about Summit Power and Shwe Taung Cement. Stakeholder engagement plan has since been posted online by IFC, though without community consultation and not available in Myanmar language. Initial outreach was conducted by STC regarding the grievance mechanism, but this does not appear to have been maintained. Local people informed Recourse they are unaware of the mechanism. Recourse/IDI follow up on outstanding issues. As AIIB came late to this project, early due diligence was conducted by the IFC, and the AIIB suggested that they would be a more effective point of entry for CSOs. As EAF invested alongside IFC equity/loans, the AIIB believed the project to be subject to “the highest standards”.

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2020-2021
Area: Multicountry - East Asia and Pacific
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 100 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 666.9 million committed capital

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: The objective is to mobilize private capital investments into infrastructure in AIIB’s members via a fund with a market risk-adjusted return.

Project concerns: Due to the projects categorization as FI the decision-making lays with the borrower, raising concerns about transparency. The specific subprojects to be financed are unclear, as only AIIB's ESP requirements must be met. The project description merely states that involuntary resettlement and impact on indigenous people is to be avoided where feasible.

AIIB interactions to date: Several online meetings with bank management in the aftermath of AIIB AGM 2020.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 09.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2020-2027
Area: Greater Malé capital region, Maldives
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 40 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 151.13 million
Co-financier: ADB; Japan Fund for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JFJCM); Government of Maldives

E&S Category: A

Project Details: Co-financed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) this projects sets out to construct a regional waste management facility, including construction of a 500-ton per day (tpd) Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant.

Capacity: 8MW

Resettlement: No resettlement or land acquisition is expected to result from the project.

Organizations monitoring: NGO Forum on ADB – Photobook

AIIB interactions to date: Field visit in May 2022.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2018-2025
Area: Colombo, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 200 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 287 million
Co-financier: GoSL: US$ 84 million; Private Partner: US$ 5 million

E&S Category: A

Project Details: This project aims to resettle about 50.000 low-income and lower-middle-income households into new high-rise apartment buildings with improved utilities and facilities. AIIB has recently approved financing for the third phase of the project, under which approximately 23,000 people will be resettled in Sri Lanka's capital city.

Resettlement: The current occupants do not hold the legal right to the land, AIIB therefore classifies it as “no involuntary land acquisition”. The project will offer alternate housing for the households who will be displaced by the recovery of their land.

CSO Reports and organizations monitoring: Bank Information Center

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2021
Area: Tamil Nadu, Republic of India
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 100 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 303.5 million
Co-financier: ADB: US$ 50 million; POWERGRID: US$ 153.47 million

E&S Category: B

Project Details: This Project aims to strengthen the power transmission and generation of energy to provide electricity to Tamil Nadu region.

Resettlement: Under the ADB SPS, the Project is classified Category B for Environmental and Involuntary Resettlement.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: CFA

AIIB interactions to date: None

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2021
Area: Gottigere to Nagavara in Bangalore, Republic of India
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 335 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 1.785 billion
Co-financier: EIB, Government of India, Government of Karnataka

E&S Category: A

Project Details: Line R6 is to run 22 kms (7.5 km elevated and 14.5 km underground), north to south across Bangalore’s heart and important commercial centers.

As of the end of October 2023 the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) has received 712 complaints, 672 of those have been resolved and further 40 complaints are being attended to. Generally, most of the grievances received are resolved at the level of General Manager (land acquisition) and Director (Projects and Planning).

Resettlement: The Project will require the acquisition of about 26 ha of land and will include both permanent and temporary land acquisitions and involuntary resettlement of some residential households and businesses. Approximately 800 households are expected to be affected. In November 2019, the Technical Training Centre for the Deaf (TTCD) students were relocated from their campus without proper consultation or resettlement planning as their residential building was demolished for the Line R6 Cantonment station. This led to a loss of 2.5 years in education and hindered their ability to find employment and live with dignity. Currently, the EIB Complaints Mechanism is mediating a process between Growthwatch, representing the students and parents, and BMRCL to monitor reparations.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Growthwatch

Further information: AIIB Page; AIIB Project Implementation Monitoring Report; Gender Action Scorecard; TTCD Case Study

Last update: 29.02.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2022-2027
Area: All across India
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 250 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 713.41 million
Co-financier: World Bank

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project aims to improve the safety and operational performance of selected dams across the country, along with institutional strengthening. Planned is the comprehensive rehabilitation of 736 existing dams.

Resettlement: According to local CSOs multiple of the target dam projects are linked to resettlement and land acquisition legacy issues lasting until today, like for example the controversial Bhakra Dam. The World Bank’s appraisal Environmental and Social Review denies the existence of any legacy issues from the time of construction of any of the dams attached to the project.

Organizations monitoring: Environics Trust - Bankwatch, June 2022. Published by the NGO Forum on ADB.

AIIB interactions to date: None so far.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2029
Area: Mumbai, Republic of India
AIIB Investment Amount: Up to US$ 37.51 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 187.55 million committed capital upon closing on July 6, 2020

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: The fund's strategy is to invest in infrastructure platforms/ services companies with high growth potential that derive their revenues principally from India. Proposed sectors include energy and utilities, transport and logistics, and other sectors, including telecommunications, broadband, urban PPP projects, healthcare and education.

Resettlement: The land acquisition process has been flawed, and people in the affected communities have been intimidated. The project required the diversion of almost 1,200 acres of multi-crop irrigated land for industrial use, contrary to Odisha state law. Nearly 1,300 families lost their agricultural lands, and the project has economically displaced another 100. The company acquired 78 acres of forest without recognizing the local community's rights, violating the 2006 Recognition of Forest Rights Act. Families report being coerced and threatened into parting with land at meager prices, over $1,600 lower than mean values for the area for the three years prior to the beginning of the project. Communities also claim that the company acquired land by force from indigenous and marginalized castes like Dalits, who are constitutionally protected. Researchers recently estimated that the GKEL project increased landlessness in the area by approximately 23 per cent.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: BIC Report



Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2019
Area: State of Gujarat, Republic of India
AIIB Investment Amount: 329 million USD
Total Project Cost: 658 million USD
Co-financier: Government of Gujarat

E&S Category: B

Project Details: The project aims to improve all-weather rural road connectivity for 1,060 villages across all 33 districts of Gujarat, potentially benefiting around 8 million people. It involves the construction and upgrading of non-plan roads and planned rural roads, including missing links, culverts, and bridges.

Project concerns: Field research by Gender Action revealed severe social impacts related to labor and gender-related violations at the project's construction sites. Working conditions resembled forced labor: many workers, mostly from tribal and lower caste backgrounds, lacked contracts, were paid late, and worked long hours in unsafe environments without protective gear. Women received lower wages than men and faced sexual harassment, with no safety or sanitation measures in place. Entire families lived in unsafe, unsanitary conditions at work sites. Promised gender-sensitive consultations were largely absent, and grievance mechanisms were unknown to affected communities.

CSO reports: Gender Action (2019): Unmet Gender Promises in AIIB’s Gujarat Project; PWESCR (2019): Gender Case Study from Gujarat
 

Organization monitoring: Gender Action, PWESCR

 

Further information: 
AIIB Page
Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 12.05.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2020
Area: Republic of India
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 100 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 600 million
Co-financier: Government of India, ADB

E&S Category: FI

Project Details: NIIF has been set up by the Government of India to address the infrastructure financing gap in the country, particularly on the equity front.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: Centre for Financial Accountability

AIIB interactions to date: In mid-March 2018, 31 Indian CSOs wrote to M.M. Kutty, the Executive Director representing India at the AIIB

Further information: AIIB Page; BIC Booklet

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2022 - 2027
Area: Surkhandarya region, Uzbekistan
AIIB Investment Amount: € 225 million
Total Project Cost: € 1,205 million
Co-financier: Sponsors’ equity and external debts
Energy type: Gas

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The AIIB is proposing to provide a loan of 225 million EUR to support the design, construction, and operation of a new 1560MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant.

Capacity: 1,560MW
Construction Company: The project is being developed by Stone City Energy (SCE, 20%), EDF (20%), Siemens Energy (25%) and Nebras Power (35%), through a dedicated project company SCE-Quvvat.

Resettlement: No resettlement is expected as social surveys found all land areas provided for the project to be unoccupied, and no agricultural or other economic activity was observed within the project area.

Organizations monitoring: NGO Forum on ADB

AIIB interactions to date: None so far.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 21.08.2024

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2016-2022
Area: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 300 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 823.5 million
Co-financier: World Bank: US$ 390 million; Government of Pakistan: US$ 133.5 million

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project will boost production at an existing hydro-dam and linking it with new transmission lines to the national grid, adding 1,410 MW capacity.

Total Capacity: 6,298 MW

Resettlement: There are remaining legacy resettlement and land acquisition cases to be settled under the project. Additional resettlement or land acquisition for the construction of the transmission line is to be expected.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: BIC Case Study (2017)

AIIB interactions to date: None

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2021
Area: Nurek, Tajikistan
AIIB Investment Amount: 60 million USD
Total Project Cost: 350 million USD
Co-financier: World Bank; Eurasian Development Bank

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project aims to rehabilitate three power-generating units of the Nurek Hydropower Plant (HPP), improve operational efficiency, and enhance dam safety. Phase I includes equipment refurbishment, auto-transformer replacement, dam safety upgrades, and technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of utility company Barqi Tojik.

Capacity: 3000MW

Project Concerns: Large hydropower projects like Nurek pose significant environmental and human rights risks, including disruption of river ecosystems, downstream impacts, and the marginalization of affected communities. In the past, the government reintroduced energy rationing for households due to low water levels at Nurek. The country's heavy reliance on the hydropower plant makes its energy supply highly climate-sensitive and unreliable during dry periods.

Organizations monitoring: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre


Further information: 
AIIB Page 
Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 31.12.2023

Status: Proposed
Timeframe: 2017-2022
Estimated Date of Board Consideration: 2023
Area: Georgia, Svaneti Region
AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 100 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 1.083 billion
Co-financier: ADB, EBRD, EIB and KDB

E&S Category: A

Project Details: The project's objective is to increase the country's power generation capacity year-round, reduce dependency on fossil fuel-fired power plants and thus decrease their associated pollution, and reduce electricity imports from neighboring countries.

Capacity: 280 MW

Project concerns: The project poses significant environmental and social risks, according to reports. These include negative impacts on local ecosystems, inadequate environmental impact assessments, and threats to the rights of nearby communities—particularly concerning access to water, land, and protection from displacement. Concerns have also been raised about potential public health risks, restrictions on the right to protest, and limited access to information. The lack of publicly available human rights policies by the companies involved further highlights transparency and accountability gaps. 

According to the project summary, a total of 89 households are anticipated to face either permanent or temporary land acquisition. Design changes have been made to avoid the physical resettlement of local populations.

Organization monitoring: Bankwatch

CSO reports: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (2022): Drying up: Tracking the environmental and human rights harms caused by hydropower in the Caucasus and Central Asia

AIIB interactions to date: Following the release of its report, tracking allegations of environmental and human rights abuses linked to hydropower plants in Georgia and other Central Asian countries, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre send letters to involved institutions. This included the AIIB in regards to the Nenskra Hydropwer project, requesting clarification. AIIB's response restates its commitment to the EBRD's 2014 Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) and Performance Requirements (PRs) while emphasizing that no final financing decision has been made.

Further information: AIIB Page

Last update: 09.04.2025

Status: Approved
Timeframe: 2017-2021
Area: China, Beijing

AIIB Investment Amount: US$ 250 million
Total Project Cost: US$ 761.10 million
Co-financier: Beijing Municipality: US$ 228.33 million; China CDM Fund: US$ 30 million; Beijing Gas: US$ 252.77 million

E&S Category: B

Project Details: The project is designed to improve air quality and reduce air pollution by replacing dirty coal with natural gas in the rural areas of Beijing (Coal-to-gas).

Project Concerns: The project is the AIIB’s first standalone project in China and raises serious concerns regarding transparency, accountability, and adherence to the Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF). Despite the ESF’s requirements, critical project information—such as Environmental and Social Assessments, consultation records, and detailed data on the 510 affected villages—has not been disclosed. The publicly available Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) contains only vague references to awareness-raising activities and lacks evidence of meaningful public consultations with affected communities. This raises doubts about whether those impacted were adequately informed or involved in the project planning process.

Moreover, the AIIB relies solely on the Client’s grievance mechanism, which is neither clearly described nor accessible to the public. Civil society requests for project information have been met with vague, dismissive responses.

CSO reports and organizations monitoring: NGO Forum in ADB: Concerns relating to the AIIB standalone Beijing Air Quality Improvement Project

AIIB interactions to date: Meetings of Eurozone constituency governments with NGOs on 1 June 2018 (Berlin) and 18 September 2018 (Vienna).

Further information: AIIB Page; Gender Action Scorecard

Last update: 09.04.2025