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LUCERNE CONFERENCE ON CIS-7 INITIATIVE CALLS FOR MORE
ASSISTANCE FROM DONORS

Chisinau-23.01.2003/18:03:56/(BASA-economic) A conference on the
seven poorest countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS-7) ended on January 22 in Lucerne with a call to donors to
find ways to increase financial assistance on grant terms to the
countries of the CIS-7. "Donor assistance in the form of highly
concessional finance and debt relief will only succeed if linked to
effective reform," said World Bank Managing Director Shengman Zhang
in his concluding statement on behalf of the four co-sponsoring
organizations (IMF, World Bank, EBRD and Asian Development Bank),
said the World Bank Country Office in a press release in Chisinau.

The CIS-7 Initiative was launched a year ago to address concerns
about the severe economic difficulties, increases in poverty, and
rapid build-up of debt in many of the CIS-7 countries since
independence in the early 1990s. The countries covered by the
Initiative are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The Lucerne conference, which brought together government and civil
society representatives from the CIS-7 as well as the international
donor community, broadened and deepened the debate to include a
range of economic, institutional and social issues that must be
tackled if the seven countries are to achieve the targets of the
Millenium Development Goals.

A wide range of substantive papers were prepared for the conference
and are available on the CIS-7 web site in English and Russian
(www.CIS7.org).  

Conference participants emphasized that achieving ownership of the
reform agenda by governments and people is key in assuring
implementation of reforms reflecting clear national priorities. The
Poverty Reduction Strategy process, now underway in all seven
countries, is designed to reinforce this sense of ownership by
putting the countries themselves in the driver's seat of reforms.

Participants underlined the importance of better governance and
fighting corruption. "While recent evidence shows corruption is
moderating and the investment climate is beginning to improve, the
key remains continued economic and institutional reform and a more
open and inclusive society," said Zhang.

Regional cooperation and better integration of the small and
relatively isolated CIS-7 economies was a recurring theme at the
two-day conference. "Recovery and future prosperity will depend
crucially on successful regional integration and improved access
to markets in the rest of the world," said Zhang.

The Initiative's co-sponsoring agencies will now work with CIS-7
governments, donors and civil society to elaborate follow-up
actions on finance and debt relief, ownership and governance,
capacity building, and regional integration, the press release
reads.

Moldova was represented at the conference by a delegation led by
Deputy Premier Stefan Odagiu, who spoke about the situation in
Moldova along with Finance Minister Zinaida Grecianii, and National
Bank Governor Leonid Talmaci. Representatives of seven NGOs were
also part of the delegation.


 PARTICIPANTII LA CONFERINTA INITIATIVA CSI-7 DE LA LUCERNA AU FACUT
UN APEL CATRE DONATORI DE A SPORI NIVELUL FINANTARILOR NERAMBURSABILE

Chisinau-23.01.2003/17:40:57/(BASA-economic) Participantii la Conferinta cu privire la cele mai sarace sapte tari din Comunitatea Statelor Independente (CSI-7) au facut un apel catre donatori de a identifica unele modalitati de sporire a nivelului finantarilor nerambursabile pentru tarile din grupul CSI-7. Conferinta si-a incheiat lucrarile miercuri, 22 ianuarie.

In acest context, Shengman Zhang, directorul executiv al Bancii Mondiale a declarat, din partea celor patru organizatii co-sponsori (FMI, BM, BERD si Banca Asiatica de Dezvoltare), ca asistenta din partea donatorilor in conditii de finantare extrem de concesionale si anularea datoriilor vor avea succes doar in cazul in care vor fi racordate la reforme eficiente.

Intr-un comunicat de presa al Oficiului de la Chisinau al Bancii Mondiale se spune ca participantii la conferinta au subliniat importanta unei guvernari mai bune si a luptei contra coruptiei. "Desi evenimentele recente demonstreaza o diminuare a coruptiei si o imbunatatire a climatului de investitii, cheia spre succes ramane a fi reforma economica si institutionala continua si o societate mai deschisa, cu o participare mai vasta", a spus Zhang.

Potrivit lui, restabilirea si prosperitatea pe viitor va depinde in mare parte de integrarea regionala cu succes si accesul imbunatatit la pietele din restul lumii.

Initiativa CSI-7 a fost lansata cu un an in urma pentru a aborda ingrijorarile privind dificultatile economice grave, sporirea nivelului saraciei si acumularea rapida a datoriilor, prezente in multe dintre tarile CSI-7 dupa declararea independentei la inceputul anilor 1990. Din CSI-7 fac parte Armenia, Azerbaidjan, Georgia, Kirgizstan, R.Moldova, Tadjikistan si Uzbekistan.

In comunicatul Bancii Mondiale se mai spune ca Conferinta de la Lucerna, care a fost organizata cu participarea comuna a reprezentantilor guvernului si societatii civile din tarile CSI-7, precum si a comunitatii internationale a donatorilor, a largit si a aprofundat dezbaterile referitoare la problemele economice, institutionale si sociale, care urmeaza a fi solutionate pentru ca aceste tari sa poata atinge Obiectivele de Dezvoltare ale Mileniului.

La Lucerna s-a mai convenit ca agentiile co-sponsori ai Initiativei vor activa in colaborare cu guvernele din tarile CSI-7, cu donatorii si societatea civila, pentru a determina viitoarele actiuni in domenii cum sunt finantarea si anularea datoriilor, responsabilitatea si guvernarea, dezvoltarea de capacitati si integrarea regionala.

Din partea R.Moldova la Conferinta de la Lucerna a participat o delegatie condusa de vicepremierul Stefan Odagiu, ministru al Economiei. Au prezentat informatii despre situatia din Republica Moldova ministrul Finantelor, Zinaida Grecianii si vicepremierul ¢tefan Odagiu. Din delegatia Moldovei au mai facut parte, de asemenea, reprezentanti ai sase organizatii neguvernamentale.