IRRI-KIIB  - Conference Address

Mr. Executive Director,
Mr. Director of the Royal Institute for International Relations,
Excellencies,
Ladies & Gentlemen,

It’s always a privilege - and a real pleasure - to welcome for an exchange of views our Representative to the Board of the World Bank - and friend - Gino ALZETTA.

His long and outstanding experience of the development and multilateral issues - as well as his experience of our Belgian institutional context - makes him a precious and respected interlocutor; and I take this opportunity to warmly welcome him here tonight.
His cv is indeed impressive: Mr. Alzetta graduated at the Liège University in economics in 1975 and entered the Finance Ministry the following year .After having dealt with regional banking institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank, he has held various positions connected with the World Bank since 1986, at the Finance Ministry in Brussels but also in Washington. This remarkable long term makes him, for sure, one of the most experienced and knowledgeable Belgian experts on the international banking system.

Gino Alzetta, more than anybody else, has been a privileged witness, and more than a witness, an actor, of the many changes that occurred in this field in the recent years.
To mention one significant example, I would say that the Millennium Development Goals have changed the very nature of development aid, opening new perspectives also for all the international community, but also, in particular, fro the World Bank group.

As far as Belgium is concerned, we very much support an effective multilateralism that contributes to integrate development aid into a proper global strategy for North-South solidarity, a global strategy that aims first at strengthening stability and security in the world.
Like its partners in the European Union, Belgium supports an international order that is capable of guaranteeing equal access to basic goods and services but also tangible equal opportunities and equal respect for every human being.

Global governance requires the strengthening of institutions and multilateral practices and, above all, the desire and shared capacity to implement the regulations and decisions taken by multilateral institutions in a effective manner.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Belgium’s aim is to promote "active multilateralism" especially in favor of the states which are the most in need.
This is why we encourage very much all these organisations to act in our partner countries, especially in Central Africa.

On top of the €100 million that Belgium earmarks for compulsory contributions to the International Development Association (IDA), our Cooperation also makes voluntary contributions to the World Bank for actions to boost poverty reduction plans in six African partner countries and for initiatives to tackle corruption in Niger and Burundi.

Early next year - in close cooperation with Foreign Affairs and also the World Bank – Minister De Decker will co-organize an international conference on good governance, here at the Egmont Palace. An other international conference, in cooperation with the World bank on “Managing forestry resources in Central Africa” is also already foreseen at for that period.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The World Bank has been these last years through remarkable streamlining processes in order to further strengthen its responsiveness and efficiency and to come up to the many new challenges. As a founding member of the Bank, Belgium welcomes and supports these trends.

I thank you for your attention.

Mr the Executive Director, the floor is all yours now.