Minsk, June 2, 2016 — Mr. Cyril Muller, World Bank Regional Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, concluded today his first official visit to Belarus to exchange views on the country’s key development priorities in the context of the deepening cooperation under the World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy for Belarus. Mr. Muller was accompanied by Mr. Qimiao Fan, the outgoing Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, and Ms. Satu Kahkonen, Global Director of Macroeconomic and Fiscal Management.
During his visit, Cyril Muller met with H.E. Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, H.E. Andrei Kobyakov, Prime Minister, H.E. Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Council of the Republic, representatives of business circles, academia, and the civil society, as well as the country’s development partners.
In the last three years, under the current World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy for Belarus, the World Bank’s active portfolio for Belarus has grown rapidly, from US$ 500 million to US$1 billion, composed of projects in energy, water, solid waste management, transport, customs reform, forestry, education, and public finance management. New projects are being finalized – one on improving the competitiveness and the other on enhancing the health service delivery.
“World Bank–supported programs have delivered important development results already in the areas of the environment, energy efficiency, and the provision of public services,” said Mr. Muller. “We look forward to further enhance the longstanding relationship with the Republic of Belarus to raise the economy’s competitiveness and productivity, improve the delivery of infrastructure, and enhance human development outcomes through better jobs, education, health and social services to the people of Belarus.”
This is the first official visit to Belarus for Mr. Muller since he became the Regional Vice President for Europe and Central Asia in July 2015. He is responsible for the World Bank’s program in the Europe and Central Asia region.
Since the Republic of Belarus joined the World Bank in 1992, lending commitments to the country have totaled US$1.5 billion. In addition, grant financing totaling US$28 million has been provided to various programs, including those with civil society organizations. The current investment lending portfolio includes nine operations totaling US$998 million.
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For more information on World Bank activities in Belarus, please visit: www.worldbank.org/belarus
