Prishtina, 10 November 2011 – Minister of Economic Development, Besim Beqaj, yesterday met a delegation of the World Bank Director for the South-East Europe, Jane Armitage.

Topics of discussion included the four-year strategy of the World Bank for Kosovo, including further support for the energy sector.

Minister Beqaj expressed his appreciation to the World Bank for its financial development assistance and expressed the readiness of the Republic of Kosovo to continue its cooperation with the World Bank.

Armitage confirmed the commitment of the World Bank to continue Kosovo development support. She informed the minister that preparations are underway to develop a new strategy of the World Bank for Kosovo for the period 2012-2015.

The partnership strategy with Kosovo shall be developed during the next four to five months. The World Bank is going to the direction of developing a program aimed at promoting competitiveness, economic growth, and employment, and to improve economic conditions and the use of natural resources.

She said that the World Bank will discuss its idea of a new program with the Government and other parties during the next months.

Armitage also informed the Minister that the World Bank is reviewing the request to issue a Partial Risk Guarantee for investments in the private sector in energy generation, as requested by the Kosovo Government.

World Bank has appointed an external experts’ Panel to review if the project proposal meets the criteria defined in the “Strategic Framework on Development and Climate Change” of the World Bank to provide financial support to fossil-fuel combustion energy generation projects.

The experts’ panel has visited Prishtina in August to meet with various parties, including representatives of the civil society. The experts’ panel is expected to complete its review next month.

Minister Beqaj said that he is please to see that the work of the Experts’ Panel is coming to an end and that the support of World Bank for Kosovo will continue.