Grant Agreements for East Timor

Contact Person:
In Lisbon Malcolm Ehrenpreis 33 610 01 74 12
e-mail: mehrenpreis@worldbank.org
In Dili: Loty Salazar, 61 407 101 537
e-mail: Lsalazar@worldbank.org
In Washington: Peter Stephens 1 202 458 2281
e-mail: pstephens1@worldbank.org

LISBON, June 21, 2000--The World Bank and the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) today signed agreements for grants to the sectors of education and agriculture, bringing the programs under the World Bank administered Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET) to seven.

"I am very happy that all projects which were entrusted to the TFET in January have been successfully negotiated and signed within a record time of six months. We see East Timorese leadership in the coordination of donor efforts as key to success, and a guarantee for quality in the development process," said Jemal-ud-din Kassum, the World Bank's Vice President for the East Asia Region.

The agreements were signed by Kassum and Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, in a ceremony hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Jaime Gama, in the presence of Xanana Gusmão, President of CNRT.

The signing took place in Lisbon as donors convened to review the existing development program in East Timor and to agree on a path for development in the coming six-month period, as well as to discuss resource mobilization for East Timor's civil service.