ARMENIA
Four Projects Signed and CAS Progress Report Endorsed
On March 9, the credit agreements for a US$28 million Poverty Reduction Support Credit, a $22 million Second Health System Modernization Project, a $22.5 million Second Judicial Reform Project (also supported by a $3 million PHRD Grant from the Japanese Government), and a $1 million advance to prepare additional financing for the Irrigation Development Project, were signed by the Minister of Finance and Economy and Acting Country Manager Naira Melkumyan. The signing ceremony was followed by a joint press conference, which discussed the projects' objectives and the Country Assistance Strategy Progress Report, endorsed by the Board of Directors. To view the press releases, visit the Armenia country website.
BELARUS
Small Grants Winners to Help Protect Environment
The Belarus Country Office announced on March 1 the winners of the 2007 Small Grants Program, which focuses on the environment. Four projects will receive grants of US$8000-10,000. Three project teams will work with small communities on activities aimed at young people with disabilities, orphans, and village children. The fourth project will help organize an international conference on the role of the mass media in addressing environmental problems. Click here to read the success stories of previous grant winners on microcredit and a festival about Chernobyl.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
Governance Workshop Focuses on Local Government
The World Bank Institute and the Bosnia Country Office organized the workshop “Local Governance and Social Accountability: New Perspectives in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe and Central Asia, and OECD Countries,” on March 27-29. The workshop brought together some 120 people, representing the BH local and national governments, regional NGOs, the donor community, and the Bank. This seminar explored new initiatives on social accountability and urban/local development in ECA, and in Bosnia in particular. The results of a social audit of local governance in BH and a regional workshop of social accountability practitioners from ECA were disseminated. Click here for the press release. One-Fourth of Global Micro-credit Award Winners from Bosnia
Five Bosnian micro-credit organizations, out of a global total of 20, received awards for financial transparency from the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor. Five additional micro-credit organizations received "merit recognition in the Europe and Central Asia region.” Most of these organizations were created and developed with World Bank support through two Local Initiatives projects. These projects lasted from 1997 to 2005, during which the eight partner micro-credit organizations disbursed some 380,000 micro-credits. These credit services helped sustain and create about 200,000 jobs across BH, prioritizing demobilized soldiers, female entrepreneurs, and those people displaced or disabled by war. Country Manager Dirk Reinermann congratulated the organizations on their success, which he said shows the maturity and quality of the micro-credit sector in this country. Click here for the press release and project story.
BULGARIA
Three Projects Will Ease Bulgaria’s EU Convergence
The Board of Executive Directors approved three projects on March 21 that aim to facilitate Bulgaria’s convergence with European Union living standards. The Social Sector Institutional Reform Development Policy Loan will support Bulgaria’s reform agenda in the areas of health, education, and social protection. The Second Trade and Transport Facilitation in Southeast Europe Project builds on the previous operation and will improve the capacity, efficiency, and quality of services at selected EU border crossings. Additional financing for the Social Investment and Employment Promotion Project aims to improve standards of living in disadvantaged communities and making better use of the opportunities presented to Bulgaria by its accession to the European Union. Click here for the press release.
CZECH REPUBLIC
New Report Proposes Pension Reforms
The “Pilot Diagnostic Review of Governance of the Private Pension Fund Sector of the Czech Republic” reviews the governance of the country’s private pension schemes. Reform of the Czech private pension sector has been delayed for some years. It is hoped that in focusing on governance of the current schemes, improvements will be made to the system's transparency and accountability, thereby stimulating the discussion on needed reforms in the sector. The report's early findings were discussed in a workshop in Prague in May 2006. The report was prepared by Senior Private Sector Development Specialist Sue Rutledge and Senior Advisor Rodney Lester.
KOSOVO
Grant to Improve Kosovo’s Capacity to Halt Spread of Avian Flu
A US$3 million Emergency Recovery Grant for Avian Influenza Control and Human Pandemic Preparedness and Response for Kosovo was approved in February. The grant comes under the World Bank’s Global Program for Avian Influenza and supports the government in strengthening its capacity to prevent and mitigate the social and economic fallout of a potential influenza pandemic. Task Team Leader Ibrahim Haçkaj said that this project will give assurances to the public that Kosovo has a comprehensive plan to help prevent the spread of future avian influenza outbreaks. Click here for the press release.
RUSSIA
Finalists Announced for Sustainable Development Innovations
The World Bank selected the top 50 projects presented at the competition “Innovations for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Tatarstan” on March 20. These projects will participate in the final stage of the competition, the Russia Development Marketplace, to be held April 19-20 in Kazan. The World Bank and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan ran the competition for the first time to initiate cooperation between the authorities and society at large to mobilize the innovative potential of Tatarstan. Grants will be awarded to support small innovative projects implementing technological, social, and environmental innovations in Tatarstan. The grants are worth a total of US$400,000. Click here for the press release.
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
2007 Small Grants Program Focuses on Youth Participation and Inclusion
The Slovakia Country Office and Open Society Foundation jointly launched the 2007 Small Grants Program on March 15. As in the past two years, Open Society Foundation is providing matching funding of US$35,000 for the program. The 2007 Program aims to foster youth participation and cooperation as well as capacity building and innovation in the field of youth work, and to facilitate integration of young people into the society, particularly excluded and marginalized youth. Additionally, projects should foster solidarity and promote equality and inclusion, and support the effective implementation of European and national youth strategies.
UZBEKISTAN Procurement Workshop for Central Asia
A World Bank regional procurement workshop was held in Tashkent on March 12-15. The workshop was designed for staff of government agencies responsible for implementation of projects funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, management teams of Project Implementation Units, and procurement specialists. More than 70 experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan met to discuss various aspects of procurement of goods and services. The workshop was carried out by Acting ECSPS Sector Director Sunil Bhattacharya and Lead Procurement Specialist Naushad Khan. |
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