Kosovo Gets $15 million Grant to Aid Reconstruction

The World Bank recently approved a $15 million grant to help rebuild Kosovo. The grant's recipient is the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and will cover the period up to 2003. The grant allows for the continuation of the World Bank's assistance during the remaining period of Kosovo's Reconstruction and Recovery Program. The financial support will aid four projects, which are part of the Transitional Support Strategy for Kosovo. The World Bank's assistance will continue to finance the successful Community Development Fund Project ($4 million) that has effectively targeted communities with conflict-related damage and vulnerable groups. Based on the recommendations of a poverty assessment, a new Education Project ($4.5 million) will be designed to increase the rates of enrollment in primary and secondary education, and to enhance access to education for girls and vulnerable groups.

The World Bank will continue to provide direct fiscal support through the Economic Assistance Grant IV ($5 million) to assist the authorities in preparing sustainable budgets. A relatively small amount of the grant is allocated for the Second Energy Sector Technical Assistance Project ($1.5 million) to follow up on the comprehensive sector study financed from the Trust Fund for Kosovo. Some $65 million has been committed by the World Bank thus far to 12 projects in the region. In its donor coordination role with the European Commission, the Bank has helped to mobilize over $2 billion of donor assistance in support of the medium-term Reconstruction and Recovery Program. (Source: World Bank)