Accra, GNA - The World Bank Group President, Robert B. Zoellick has urged African leaders to ensure that peace and democracy yielded tangible improvements in the lives of the people that they governed.
He said this at the end of his two-day visit to Liberia to gain a first hand understanding of the development challenges facing that country and the efforts being made by the government and the people to promote growth, overcome poverty, and improve their standard of living.
"This visit has given me an opportunity to listen and learn about the challenges facing Liberia," Mr. Zoellick said, adding, "the hard work of the people and government of Liberia that I witnessed offers great encouragement and inspiration for development partners like the World Bank Group in helping to ensure the peace and democracy enjoyed by Liberia translates into tangible socio-economic benefits for all Liberians."
An official statement issued by the World Bank, Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said, Mr. Zoellick met with the Ministers of Finance
of Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Togo at a roundtable on post-conflict reconstruction to discuss the Bank's approach to post-conflict countries and share the lessons learned in Liberia.
According to the statement the meeting was attended by other development partners, including the European Commission, the United States, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the United Nations.
"During a meeting with the private sector, Mr. Zoellick discussed the growing role in Liberia of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the
Bank Group's private sector arm, and the services it can offer.
"He also attended a regional Poverty Reduction Strategy Stakeholders' Consultation in Kakata town in the Margibi County. The consultation was attended by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and other government officials, local government representatives and civil society, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General and other UN personnel, the county superintendent, local community members, and women's groups," it added.
Mr. Zoellick was accompanied by World Bank Vice-President for Africa Obiageli Ezekwesili, as well as other officials of the World Bank Group.
GNA