Parliamentary Network of the World Bank and Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics
Bled, Slovenia will host some alphabet soup in mid-May, beginning with a meeting on "Sharing Lessons for Transition" of ECA parliamentarians through the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank on May 16. Conference participants from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe will exchange experiences on what actions can be taken now in parallel to the European integration process to achieve closer economic ties, reduce poverty, and improve cooperation between countries in the region. The Bank-wide ABCDE on May 17-18 will focus on "Private Sector and Development" and will feature research papers and working sessions on financial inclusion, business climate, and the provision of public services relating to health, education, and environment/water by non-state actors. Vice-President Shigeo Katsu will attend both events.

Conference to Address Youth Concerns
The 2007 Rome Conference on "Youth in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: From Policy to Action" builds on earlier youth initiatives in providing the first ECA-wide forum for the findings and recommendations of the 2007 World Development Report Development and the Next Generation. The conference will focus on two primary youth policy domains articulated in the WDR: transition to work and transition to citizenship. In spite of improved economic growth in many ECA countries, youth poverty, unemployment, and exclusion are widespread and increasing. Young people and ministry representatives from all over the region will participate. An Innovation Grants Competition and Showcase are being organized in connection with the Conference by the World Bank Children and Youth Team in ECSHD, in collaboration with Nokia and the World Bank Small Grants Program and the ECA EXT team. The funds will be used for competitive grants that directly support civil society, in particular youth organizations.

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ALBANIA

Small Grants Program Focuses on Youth Civic Engagement
The Albania Country Office announced the winners for the 2007 Small Grants Program on April 23. The 2007 Program aims to foster youth civic engagement, participation, and social integration and aid in the transition from school to the labor market, with a focus on excluded and marginalized youth. Additionally, projects should foster solidarity and promote equality and inclusion, and support the effective implementation of the recently-approved National Youth Strategy.

Tirana to Move Forward with Regulatory Plan
The Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications and the Municipality of Tirana signed a Memorandum of Understanding on April 17 for the implementation of the US$1.4 million Dutch Grant for the Tirana City Regulatory Plan. This grant is managed by the World Bank. The Regulatory Plan will analyze the current demographic situation, land use, and the capacity of existing and planned infrastructure. Click here for the press release.

Loan Aims to Help Improve Growth, Governance
The Board of Executive Directors approved on March 29 a US$10 million Development Policy Loan, designed to support some of the key aspects of the Government's National Strategy for Development and Integration, aimed at sustaining growth and improving delivery of public services and governance. The credit is the first in a series of three Development Policy Operations. A joint press conference was organized on April 3 with the Minister of Finance and Country Manager Nadir Mohammed. Click here for the press release.

Two Projects to Improve Albania's Infrastructure and Land Market
The US$35 million Land Administration and Management and US$25 million Transport projects were signed on March 21. The former will support the development of an efficient land and property market by enhancing tenure security and improving land administration and management services, and the Transport project will finance the construction of a 26 kilometer section road in one of the poorest regions in Albania. Click here for the press release.

ARMENIA

Small Grants Program Winners Announced
The Armenia Country Office hosted an awards ceremony on April 25 to celebrate the winners of the 2007 Small Grants Program. The Program was co-funded by the Open Society Institute - Assistance Foundation (OSIAF), doubling the overall grant amount. Six out of the 80 non-profit organizations that applied were selected as finalists to receive grant awards for the implementation of civic engagement-focused projects. Acting Country Manager Vigen Sargsyan and OSIAF Executive Director Larisa Minasyan signed the agreements with the grantees.

AZERBAIJAN

Bank Supports Real Estate Registration Reform in Azerbaijan
A US$30 million Real Estate Registration Project was approved by the Bank's Board of Directors on March 21. The project aims to provide a reliable, transparent, and efficient real estate registration system supporting the real property market and suitable systems for the management and use of state-owned immovable property. Click here for the press release.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA

Quarterly Economic Newsletter Focuses on Health, Civil Society
The Bosnia Country Office published its latest quarterly economic newsletter, which has become one of the main communication tools in the country. The newsletter examines the health sector and takes stock of economic developments in 2006. It also provides information about World Bank support for BH community development, which has been supported with additional financing and a recent workshop for local leaders, as well as about global and local grant programs provided for the local NGO community and youth. The newsletter was cited by most local and regional media.

CROATIA

Vice President Reconfirms the Bank's Commitment to Croatia
Vice President Shigeo Katsu, accompanied by Country Director Anand Seth and new Country Manager Andras Horvai, visited Croatia from March 27-28. The Bank team met with the President, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and other high-level representatives of the Croatian government. The main topic of discussion was the reforms supported by the Second Programmatic Adjustment Loan and the Bank's planned future support presented in the draft 2007 Country Assistance Strategy Progress Report. Shigeo visited Lonjsko Polje National Park, in the Sava-Drava river basin, the future project site of the Inland Waters Project, which aims to support the development and implementation of water, wastewater, and flood protection investments in the inland part of Croatia. Click here for the press release.

KAZAKHSTAN

Central Asia Offices Host Simultaneous Youth Events
The Central Asia Regional Office in Almaty and the Country Offices in Astana, Bishkek, Dushanbe, and Tashkent hosted a Youth Open House on March 30 with over 140 representatives of youth organizations and universities participating in the event region-wide. The young people listened to presentations and discussions on the World Bank, discussed the economic situation in their countries, learned about the Bank's tools and resources for youth, took a quiz on development issues, and watched a movie on the Bank's 2006 Central Asia Youth Summer Camp. Speakers included Country Managers, Lead Country Economists, and EXT staff. Country Director Annette Dixon delivered a presentation via VC on the findings of the WDR 2007, Development and the Next Generation, and answered many questions.

MOLDOVA

World Bank Supports Rehabilitation of Country’s Road Network
The Bank’s Board of Directors approved a US$16 million Road Sector Program Support Project on March 29. The project will help reduce road transport costs by improving the condition and quality of the road network and the way it is managed. The project emphasizes good and transparent management of road investments and is the first step in a larger effort by the international community to help in the recovery of the Moldovan road network over the coming years. The population will benefit from a reduction in travel times and transport costs, and improvements in the quality of road passenger and cargo transport. Click here for the press release.

RUSSIA

Press Conference Looks at Local Governance in Rural Areas
The World Bank and Charities Aid Foundation Russia held a final press conference on April 25 on "Local Self-Governance and Civic Engagement in Rural Russia." The purpose was to discuss concepts and directions for rural territorial development in Russia, paving the way for wider opportunities for local governance in the context of recently-introduced local governance legislation and to distribute and discuss best practices and results of civic engagement and approaches to rural development planning from the World Bank pilot project, Local Self-Governance and Civic Engagement in Rural Russia.

Conference Addressees Social Assistance Issues in Russia
The World Bank held a national conference on "Improving Social Assistance and Employment Assistance Programs to Combat Poverty" on April 24-25, where a National Report based on a one-year study of income-tested social assistance programs in five regions of the Russian Federation was presented. The Conference was co-financed by DFID and hosted in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Regional Development, the Ministry of Health and Social Development, and the regional administrations. The Bank team, consisting of ECSHD Sector Director Tamar Atinc and Country Director Klaus Rohland, presented a proposal for a pilot project to improve the targeting accuracy of social assistance programs. The Conference was attended by federal and regional authorities and the heads of regional social protection and employment services.

TURKEY

Bank Supports Improved and Reliable Power Supply in Turkey
The Bank’s Board of Directors approved a Euro 205 million Electricity Distribution Rehabilitation Project on April 19. The project will help improve the reliability of power supply to consumers in Turkey by supporting electricity distribution rehabilitation and expansion. The project will assist in improving the distribution system in critical areas, reducing interruptions in supply, and expanding capacity. The investments will also help improve the distribution system’s compliance with safety regulations. Click here for the press release.

Small Grants Winners Receive Awards
An awards ceremony was held on April 10 for the seven winning Small Grants projects for 2007. This year, the Turkey Country Office made US$35,000 available for projects focused on "Civic Engagement for the Empowerment of Youth in Turkey." The agreements were signed by representatives of the NGOs and Country Director Ulrich Zachau. The seven grants will help fund small-scale activities in support of social development and inclusion of youth and youth-related matters.

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Turkey - Electricity Distribution Rehabilitation Project

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