Minsk, June 24, 2012 — The World Bank Regional Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Mr. Qimiao Fan is on a three-day working visit to Minsk to present the new World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy for Belarus. Mr. Fan and Mr. Gino Alzetta, World Bank Executive Director, met with Prime Minister, Mr. Myasnikovich today to brief the Government of the outcomes of discussion of the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on the new strategy.
“The new strategy will focus World Bank Group support on areas that will bring direct benefits to ordinary citizens of Belarus, generate global public goods benefits and contribute to improved governance, transparency and social accountability,” said Qimiao Fan.
In the next four years, the World Bank Group’s assistance to Belarus will be concentrated in three areas:
- Increasing competitiveness of the economy by supporting structural reforms, including reducing the role of the state, transforming the state-owned enterprise sector, and promoting private and financial sector development and integration into the global economy.
- Improving quality and efficiency of public infrastructure services, use of agricultural and forestry resources and increasing global public goods benefits.
- Enhancing human development outcomes through better education, health and social services.
In the meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Fan stressed that maintaining stability and undertaking comprehensive structural reforms would be critical for achieving the objectives of the strategy. In addition to the Government Mr. Fan will present the new Country Partnership Strategy to the Presidential Administration and representatives of civil society organizations, businesses and diplomatic community.
The current World Bank investment lending portfolio in Belarus includes 5 operations for a total amount of USD 547.5 million. Since Belarus joined the World Bank in 1992, commitments to the country have totaled USD 955 million for 13 loans. In addition, grant financing totaling USD 23.7 million has been provided to about 30 programs including those with civil society organizations.
