Wolfowitz said the World Bank's board had approved new procedures in order to be able to respond much more rapidly than in the past to countries in emergency situations.
He said the first grant under these procedures would be one this month for US$180 million to build roads and provide water in Kinshasa, creating jobs in the process. This is part of what could be as much as US$380 million in grants to the DRC this year from the World Bank.
“We’re already beginning to plan projects for 2008 and our overall horizon would be $1.4 billion over the next three years,” the World Bank president said.
Mr. Wolfowitz said the presence of the World Bank and the EU in the DRC at this critical period in their history was both 'practical and symbolic' and was meant to help rally the international community to help the people of DRC.
The two leaders held a meeting in Kinshasa that brought together the country’s 15 main development partners where they underscored the need of coordinating assistance and moving with speed.
“In order for the people of Congo to succeed in meeting the very daunting challenges this country faces we must work together like never before,” said Wolfowitz. “We can only ask the people of Congo to do more if we the donors are ready to ask the same of ourselves.”
The joint visit comes at a significant moment in the history of DRC with the first democratically elected president in 40 years after many years of war.
Wolfowitz said he visited Kisangani before coming to Kinshasa and met with a wide range of people including ex-combatants—starting a new life of demobilization and reintegration—business leaders, and women activists.
“None of the people I met along the way wants to go back to warfare. Each of them wants to build a better life for themselves and a better future for this country. Everyone has great hopes that the peace can be consolidated and the democratic process extended,” he said.
He said that the new government recognizes that improving governance and fighting corruption was the foundation of all the other things that need to be done in the country.
He called for countries to help the DRC strengthen its institutions of governance, saying the process would take time as “it took many years to bring the country to this point.”
“Nothing will be done if people say the problem is impossible to fix,” he said. “I believe that taking things a step at a time, it is possible over time to make a big difference in the levels of corruption in a country.”
The leaders reiterated the critical importance of translating the dividends of peace into concrete changes in the lives of the Congolese people.
Their official engagements included meetings with President Joseph Kabila, Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga, and his cabinet.
During an official dinner organized by the government, President Kabila emphasized the importance of this high-level visit for Congo.
Wolfowitz and Michel also met with Jean-Pierre Bemba, the main contender during the recent election.
Source: World Bank
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