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 is part of a consortium of nine international banks, providing a debt package totaling $653 million—of which $225 million is financed by IFC. This capital supports the construction of 13 of the 41 solar power plants that make up the Benban Solar Park.

On July 19 2022, CAO received a complaint from two security guards of Al Huda Security Company, which is affiliated with Sterling and Wilson, a subcontractor for Benban Solar Park. The security guards claimed that they had been dismissed from employment without reason. The complaint was related to labor conditions in IFC project number 39728.

On September 8, 2022, the issues raised in the complaint were deemed eligible to open a case at CAO. The case was referred to IFC, at the request of the affected community members. In October 2022, the community members expressed their desire for the complaint to be referred back to CAO and to end their engagement with IFC. CAO began an assessment of the issues raised in the complaint in October 2022 and completed the assessment in March 2023.

During the assessment process, the complainant and the Benban Solar Park representatives expressed an interest in engaging in a 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.