Portugal - Recent Events

On October 15th 2003, the World Bank organized a discussion session with Portuguese Civil Society about the potentialities of relationship of those with the Bank. The discussion was conducted by Rachel Winter-Jones, Bank’s responsible for the programs with foundations, NGOs and Academia in Europe. Some of the themes discussed were an introduction to the Bank and the European Civil Society team, financing sources, schemes and history of partnerships of the Bank with Civil Society and future opportunities and frameworks of relationship.
On October 14th 2003, the World Bank organized the presentation of the World Development Report (WDR) by Shanta Devarajan, Chief Economist in the Human Development Network, to NGOs, the academia and foundations in Lisbon. The WDR 2004, with the title "Making Services Work for Poor People", investigates how countries can accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by making services work for poor people. Its basic conclusion is that faster economic growth and the flow of resources is not sufficient: the ability to translate those resources into basic services, especially in health, education, water, and sanitation is also essential. Too often, the delivery of services falls far short of what could be achieved, especially for the poor due to problems such as weak incentives for performance, corruption, imperfect monitoring (if at all), and administrative logjams. For knowing more about the WDR 2004, please click here.

The ICEP (Investimentos Comercio e Turismo de Portugal) hosted two World Bank procurement seminars on October 9, 2003 (Lisbon) and October 10, 2003 (Porto). The seminar, which was organized Mr. Rui Cordovil, WB Private Sector Liaison Officer for Portugal, of the ICEP, was conducted by Mr. Armando Araujo, Director of the Procurement unit of the World Bank. Some of the topics included in the discussion were an introduction to the World Bank Group under the point of view of the Private Sector, a presentation of the Liaison Office of the World Bank, and the procedures involved in Procurement of Goods and Services and Consultancy Contracts.

On July 18^th and 19^th, Peter Woicke, head of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Managing Director of the World Bank Group, visited Lisbon for meetings with IFC partners and sponsors to discuss investment opportunities for Portuguese firms in emerging markets and encourage them to explore new regions and sectors. He had meetings with high-level government officials at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and at ICEP Portugal – the government's Investment, Trade and Tourism Office. He also met with current and potential sponsors of IFC projects, including Montepio Geral, Banco Portugues de Investimento, and Portugal Telecom, as well as with the President and members of the Portuguese Banking Association. Additionally, Mr. Woicke presided over a conference at ICEP with a group of Portuguese entrepreneurs, exporters, and contractors who are interested in investment opportunities abroad. Portugal joined IFC in 1960, and as of June 30, 2003, 35 Portuguese firms and development agencies have provided more than $34 million in direct loan and equity financing for 28 IFC projects in 9 countries.
The Inter-Eruropean Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (IEFPD) held its Third Council meeting in the Portuguese Senate on 26 and 27 May 2003 in Lisbon upon the invitation of the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Mr. Joao Bosco da Mota Amaral, the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, the Portuguese FPA, and the Parliamentarian Network of the World Bank (PnoWB). Parliamentarians from over 20 European countries met and discussed resource mobilization, creating and enabling environment and overcoming barriers and obstacles of the ICPD.
On May 8^th and 9^th, Mark Nelson from the World Bank Institute’s office in Paris and Sarah Cliffe from the LICUS team visited Lisbon to meet with Government officials on the GDLN center for Portugal and to give presentations on LICUS to representatives of civil society entities respectively.
From March 31^st to April 2^nd, Jean-François Rischard, Vice-President for Europe, visited Lisbon to launch EXTEU’s program, introduce the country counselor, Marcela Huertas and meet with Government officials.

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