WASHINGTON, May 3, 2012 - The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today Euro 23 million grant for the Kosovo Second Sustainable Employment Development Policy Operation (SEDPO-2). Additional grants of Euro 12.1 million provided by ten bilateral and multilateral donors (European Commission, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland) and US$1.8 million provided by the United States will complement World Bank funding.
The operation supports important policy reforms for the country’s 1.8 million people, targeting improvements in the business environment to promote domestic and foreign investments; strengthening procurement and public financial management to increase transparency and accountability; strengthening labor market institutions to provide targeted services to unemployed persons and social assistance recipients; increasing the quality and relevance of vocational education institutions and consolidating Kosovo’s civil service.
SEDPO-2 is an important part of the proposed World Bank Group Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Kosovo for 2012-15, which focuses on inclusive growth and employment generation. Funds will be made available as the Government has implemented the agreed policy reforms focusing on improved transparency, budgetary and fiscal management, and sustainable employment.
The First Sustainable Employment Development Policy Operation (SEDPO-1) for Kosovo totaled US$30.9 million and was disbursed on December 30, 2011. Funds were provided to the Kosovo budget following the successful implementation of reforms focusing on sustainable employment and growth.
