WB, Egypt a new strategy for development programs

"The Egyptian government and the World Bank (WB) are holding intensive dialogue to lay down a new strategy pinpointing work priorities in the development programs for the coming three or four years," said the Chairman of the WB mission.

At a seminar devoted to discuss WB's development report for 2001-2002, Mahmoud Ayoub said that the bank in cooperation with the donors will seek to offer more assistance to the development projects in Egypt.

Ayoub lauded the role played by the Social Fund for Development (SFD) in upgrading the development programmes in Egypt.

The seminar, under the theme of combating poverty, is organized by the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ESES) in cooperation with the WB and the economic research forum.

"The bank is completely aware of its responsibilities, given the growing gap between the advanced and developing countries," Ayoub said.

He referred to the economic development's role in combating poverty through the best exploitation of the human, material and natural resources. He urged developing countries to give civil society institutions a chance to play an effective role in the development process.