Egypt: Benban Solar-02
Case Tracker
Complaint Overview
An individual employed by Health and Safety Home, who is originally from the village of Benban.
Labor management issues (absence of a labor grievance mechanism for Health and Safety Home, nepotism in terms of benefits, promotions and salary increase), grievances regarding working conditions (quality and quantity of the food) and allegations of retaliation for requesting raises or filing complaints.
Project Information
From IFC, $225 million.
Synopsis
The Benban Solar Park is a 36 square-kilometer area composed of 32 operational energy-generating power plants that are operated by different companies near the village of Benban in Egypt.
IFC leads a consortium of nine international banks, providing a debt package totaling $653 million—of which $225 million will be financed by IFC. This capital supports the construction of 14 of the 41 solar power plants that make up the Benban Solar Park.
MIGA has 12 active guarantees for projects in the Benban Solar Park. Of these 12 projects, three are financed by the IFC-led consortium, and nine by a consortium led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
CAO received the complaint on June 8, 2022. The complaint raised concerns about poor working conditions, specifically regarding the quality of food provided, insufficient water, lack of working electricity generators despite hot temperatures, lack of air conditioning on buses used for transportation, and compensation practices.
After undergoing a review for eligibility, the case was found eligible for assessment on July 22, 2022. During the assessment process, the complainant and the Benban Solar Park representatives agreed to engage in a voluntary CAO dispute resolution process to address the issues raised in the complaint. In accordance with the CAO Policy, the case will now be handled by CAO’s Dispute Resolution function.
The assessment report is available in English and Arabic in the "Case Documents" section below.
This case is currently in dispute resolution.
Note: The CAO assessment process does not entail a judgment on the merits of the complaint; rather, it seeks to understand the facts and empower those involved to make informed decisions on how to address the issues raised.
Status as of February 01, 2023