Contacts In Washington: Herbert Boh (202) 473 3548 hboh@worldbank.org In Dakar: Mademba Ndiaye (221) 338495000 mademba@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, February 27, 2008 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors yesterday (Tuesday) endorsed the World Bank and the African Development Bank Joint Assistance Strategy (JAS) to support the implementation of the Gambia’s PRSP-II for the next four years (2008-2011). According to Madani M. Tall, Country Director for The Gambia, “this JAS is an important step in the process of aid harmonization because for that small country, more than 15 donors are providing assistance, which is channeled through a broad variety of entities, both governmental and non-governmental, and although most external partners are aligning external assistance with country objectives, they are preparing separate assistance strategies for the period 2007-2011”. Francoise Perrot, Task Team Leader for the Bank, pointed out that the strategy, jointly prepared by the World Bank and AfDB, represents the first step of an effort to harmonize donor assistance in The Gambia in line with the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness. “It will allow us to align our development programs, avoid duplication of efforts, and combine our technical expertise”, she said. Under this joint strategy, the World Bank and the AfDB have developed shared -objectives and a common platform for lending and non-lending services under two main pillars. So that, the two institutions will support The Gambia to strengthen its institutional framework for economic management and public service delivery, and to enhance its productive capacity and accelerating growth and competitiveness. These will include coordinated contribution to budget support, complementary investments in growth and competitiveness, and joint analytical work in the areas of public finance, civil service reform and governance, she underlined. The Gambian economy has been strong in recent years, with an average annual real GDP growth rate of about 6 percent during 2003-2006. The completion of an MDG-based PRSP-II (2007-2011), the completion point under HIPC in December 2007 and eligibility under MDRI, and indications of increased project aid from development partners provide an opportunity for the country to build on recent achievements and accelerate growth. Ms. Perrot emphasized also that the joint strategy is prepared on the basis of an estimated $18 million allocation on the WB side and 10 million dollars on the AfDB side over the period FY08-11. “These are indicative amounts”, she added. ### For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Sub-SaharanAfrica, please visit: www.worldbank.org/afr For more information about The Gambia, please visit: www.worldbank.org/gambia |
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