§ Mr. StreeterTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about her Department's involvement in the planned reconstruction of Kosovo. [88115]
§ Clare ShortThe European Union, with the support of the World Bank, will assume the lead role in the reconstruction of Kosovo within the overall UN-led civil implementation structure. We are in close touch with all the international agencies, as well as bilateral donors, concerned with reconstruction.
The European Union and World Bank, who have set up a joint headquarters in Brussels, are coordinating damage and needs assessment and will be organising a series of donor conferences over the coming months to mobilise the necessary international effort to help reconstruct Kosovo.
We are working to ensure that the arrangements for managing EU assistance are effective and allow programmes to be implemented speedily. We are also seeking to ensure that the World Bank plays as wide a role in reconstruction as the legal status of Kosovo will allow.