Washington, April 21, 2018 - The World Bank Group and the Government of Germany announced today a strategic partnership to work towards a new and updated approach to reconstruction for peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The announcement was made during the 2018 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC.
"Germany as one of the largest bilateral donors in the context of the region’s crises is looking forward to this new strategic partnership that will guide the international community’s efforts in reconstruction. We need to think beyond simply rebuilding towards a more profound transformation of state and society relations," said Norbert Barthle, German Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Drawing on the extensive experience of the World Bank Group and the Government of Germany in responding to a wide range of economic and social crises, both in the region and globally, the partnership will analyze and draw lessons from post-conflict situations in the MENA region. This analysis will consider a number of historical, political, and socio-economic factors, both in and between countries in the region.
A major component of this partnership is the "Building for Peace in MENA: Reconstruction for Security, Sustainable Growth and Equity" project, which is co-funded by the Bank and BMZ, along with other potential donors, and will bring together expertise from regional and international think-tanks.
"Germany has been a committed partner for development in MENA, and I am proud of this new initiative. It is a critical piece of thinking that will transform the way we work in the economic space between peace and war. Reconstruction is an opportunity to address the drivers of fragility and conflict; this initiative will lay the groundwork to rebuild for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," said Dr. Hafez Ghanem, World Bank Regional Vice President for the Middle East North Africa.
The multi-year project involves an extensive series of analytical initiatives and consultations with stakeholders in the region, leading to capacity building and pilot programs using new approaches for durable peace through reconstruction, based on an inclusive scenario-building approach.
