The World Bank and South East Europe
South East Europe is composed of a heterogeneous set of countries with a combined population of 56 million and an average per capita income of about US$2,200. The countries which form the South East Europe Region include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Romania. These countries are members of the Bretton Woods Institutions, and the Bank has active lending programs in these six countries. In addition, the World Bank has a special program of assistance in Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)*. |  |
Building on the existing collaborative work on a country-by-country basis in the South East Europe Region, the European Commission and the World Bank were tasked with the special mandate to lead the coordination effort of all bilateral and multilateral aid to the Balkans. In addition to the work in donor coordination, aid mobilization, and economic analysis, the World Bank supports the countries of the Region through its lending. First, the World Bank provides concessional and market-based loans to help the countries achieve long term economic development. In fiscal yearws 98 and 99, World Bank lending to the countries of the Region totaled US$1.4 billion. Second, the Bank provides policy advice and economic and sector analysis, which include recommendations on policy reform. More...
* Kosovo is a region within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which comprises the republics of Serbia and Montenegro. |