The World Bank and European Union

December 2009
The World Bank Brussels Office participated along with WB offices in France, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethopia, Nepal, Guatemala in a video conference consultation with civil society, government officials and other stakeholders on the Bank's new Reproductive Health Plan.

Reproductive Health is one of the priority areas identified in the World Bank's 10 year strategy for health, nutrition and population, produced in 2007.  The Bank is now preparing a Reproductive Health Action Plan to lay out the key issues, challanges, and opportunities as we seek to mobilize greater attention and support and deepen our work with partner agencies for reproductive health programs.  This is a central part of the Bank's focus on strengthening country health systems and efforts to accelerte progress toward MDG's4 and 5.  The action Plan will be discussed with the Bank's Board of Directors in early 2010.

December 2009
Presentation on the Doha Development Agenda at the European Commission
World Bank Director for International Trade Bernard Hoekman met with a cross section of staff from the European Commission drawn from amongst others DG Development, DG Trade, DG Agriculture, Europe Aid to discuss why the conclusion of Doha Development Agenda Matters, click here more for more information

December 2009 - Bank Vice President for Concessional Financing Meets with European Civil Society
  

World Bank Vice President Concessional Finance and Global Partnerships - Mr. Axel Van Trotsenburg met with a range of Brussels based civil stakeholders for an informal exchange of views on the Bank's response to the economic crisis, the forthcoming replishment of IDA 16 and capital increase for Multilateral Development Banks.  Participants included civil society groups: Eurodad, CIDSE, the German Marshall Fund, Carnegie Europe; European Parliament officials: and representatives of UN agencies, for more information please click here.


October 2009



European Development Days - Click here for more information

The World Bank Group with a strong presence at the 4th edition of the European Development Days in Stockholm on 22 to 24 October using the opportunity to interact with European stakeholders and representatives of international organizations on key Bank programs and policies, for more information please click here 

October 2009

Brussels Presentation of World Bank Development Report 10: Climate Change and Development

World Development Report 10 co-author Kirk Hamilton presented the report's main findings in panel discussion involving Jos Delbeke - Deputy Director General of the EC's DG Environment, Jean Pascal van Ypersele - Professor at the Universite Catholique de Louvain-La-Neuve (UCL) and Vice-Chair of the IPCC, and Peter Wittoeck, - Head of Climate Change Section, Belgian Federal Ministry for Finance.  In the ensuing discussion between the participants and the panel, the debate focused on the role of carbon markets in finding solutions to climate change; whether the Bank and other donors are striking the right balance bwtween addressing the energy needs of developing countries and pushing for the reduction in the use of fossil fuels; and whether the report gives sufficient emphasis to international governance of financing on climate change for more information please click here 

October 2009 - World Bank Brussels Consultations on New Environment Strategy
The World Bank Brussels Office organized a series of consultation meetings with a variety of stakeholders on the World Bank's new Environment Strategy.  The new Environment Strategy, to be presented to the World Bank Board of Executive Directors by December 2010, proposes an approach for achieving environmental sustainability at the WBG to ensure that its support to client countries leads to sustainable development outcomes.  The Brussels meetings are part of the first phase of a global consultations process, which will last through 15 February 2010.  For more information please click here