WASHINGTON, April 30, 2010 —The World Bank Group has debarred Macmillan Limited, a U.K. company, declaring the company ineligible to be awarded Bank-financed contracts for a period of six years in the wake of the company’s admission of bribery payments relating to a Trust Fund-supported education project in Southern Sudan. The debarment can be reduced to three years subject to continued cooperation.
“This agreement is an acknowledgement of past wrongdoing by Macmillan and demonstrates the World Bank’s unwavering commitment to ensuring all those who participate in World Bank-financed projects, including those who do not actually get contracts, are held to the highest levels of integrity, while also encouraging companies to come forward and join our fight against corruption,” said Leonard McCarthy, Integrity Vice President at the World Bank Group.
Under the terms of the agreement, Macmillan Limited and its subsidiaries will cooperate with INT’s efforts to combat fraud and corruption in World Bank-financed projects and Macmillan Limited will implement a compliance monitoring program and engage a compliance monitor to ensure the adequacy of its program. The original debarment period of eight years, was reduced to six years due to an early acknowledgement of misconduct by the company. The debarment period can be further reduced to three years depending upon the company implementing a compliance program and further cooperating with the World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT).
The World Bank's Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) focuses on allegations of fraud and corruption involving Bank Group operations or involving Bank Group staff, thereby helping to ensure that development resources reach their intended recipients. In this case, the World Bank administers the Sudan Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), which was established in 2006 to provide funding for post-conflict reconstruction in the region in the wake of two decades of civil war.
