What is the total external financing requirement being sought at
the Donors Conference?
The needs assessment shows
that an amount of US$1.25 billion is required in the first year, on
a commitment basis, to cover the priorities in the Economic Recovery
and Transition Program (ERTP), so this is the amount sought at the
Conference. These are the needs for filling gaps in investment, in
recurrent cost expenditures, in technical assistance, and credit and
equity lines for the private sector.
Do you expect US$1.25 billion to be raised at the Donors
Conference?
We do not currently have information on donor pledges, and will
not know until the day of the Conference. However, it is clear that
there is a keen desire by donors to support Yugoslavia, and many
donors will do so.
Will more funds be needed for the ERTP after this donors
conference?
Yes. The total amount needed over a four year period is expected
to be on the order of will be US$3.9 billion for the ERTP. We expect
to organize Donors Conferences each year to try to mobilize this
amount in support of Yugoslavia.
Are humanitarian needs included in the ERTP?
Strictly speaking, humanitarian needs are not included in the
ERTP because most of such expenditures are outside the government
expenditure program. Yugoslavia has substantial humanitarian needs
which have been coordinated by UN OCHA and generously supported by a
number of donors. There is an overlap between humanitarian needs and
the ERTP, however, in areas such as urgent social security payments,
which the government cannot find from its own resources. In that
sense, some selected humanitarian needs could be considered part of
this program.
What is the difference between the ERTP figures and figures being
issued by the Serb and Montenegrin governments?
The ERTP, which was prepared in close collaboration with the
Federal and republic authorities, is the official program which
donors are being requested to support. The Serb and Montenegrin
dossiers describe the detailed projects which can fit into this
program. The two sets of documents are consistent and very closely
linked.
Can any interested party come to the meeting, and
how will information on the Conference be made available to the
public?
Attendance at the meeting is restricted to official donors (ie.
governments and international agencies) because of the
confidentiality of the pledging process. However, we will publish
all results on the Seerecon website as soon as we are authorized to
do so by the various governments and organizations involved. This
usually leads publication of relevant information within a very
short period after the completion of the Donor Conference. The
transparency of this process has been enhanced through the use of a
broadly accessible website and we expect to continue along these
lines.
