BUCHAREST, November 14, 2018 - The World Bank Office in Romania and Ilfov County Council signed today a reimbursable service agreement (RAS) – a form of technical assistance - to support the county in the implementation of international best practices in urban development.
“One of the World Bank’s most important contributions to Romania’s development agenda is to bring global knowledge and local development solutions to communities such as Ilfov. Today’s partnership reflects that vision and is a core element of our new strategy for Romania for the next five years,” said Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Country Manager for Romania and Hungary. “This is the first agreement that we sign with a County Council. It complements our existing collaboration with several municipalities in Romania and focuses on improving the quality of life for Ilfov residents and enhancing the economic attractiveness of the region.”
The World Bank will provide technical assistance to the Ilfov County Council over a period of 20 months. The focus of this support will be to help the county strengthen its capacity to formulate and prioritize local development interventions in order to fully capitalize on its geographic and economic location, and improve the quality of life for Ilfov residents.
“The Bucharest-Ilfov region generates more than a quarter to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), hosts 25 percent of private companies, and is the center of innovation and research. The county hosts over 50 percent of the research institutes, business incubators, and innovative startups in Romania,“ said Marian Petrache, President of Ilfov County Council.
World Bank assistance will target four main areas:
- Support for the development of Ilfov County Development Strategy for 2020-2030, which aims to unlock synergies stemming from Ilfov’s proximity to Bucharest, and address development gaps in some of the poorer areas of the county.
- Support for the development of Ilfov County Spatial Plan in coordination with Bucharest’s six districts and surrounding counties. The plan will aim to formulate solutions, through consultations and citizen engagement, for the development, conversion and protection of Ilfov territories, taking into account the county’s socio-economic and environmental objectives.
- Support for the identification of a list of strategic interventions that would leverage existing strategic and programmatic documents, and would involve relevant stakeholders at the local, regional, and national levels.
- Support for the development of Măgurele into an important national research and growth hub, including the development of a strategy for the Măgurele area. The strategy will focus on potential infrastructure investments and land use planning tools, will review relevant policies, and will make specific recommendations encouraging private investment in the Măgurele area.
The World Bank opened its office in Romania in 1991. Since then, the Bank has provided over US$13.6 billion in loans, guarantees and grants in all sectors of the Romanian economy. The Bank’s current portfolio includes investment lending, analytical work, and technical assistance to support Romania’s reform priorities. In 2016, the World Bank Group and Romania celebrated 25 years of continued partnership in supporting poverty reduction and inclusive growth.
