, January 27, Asia-Plus - Dennis de Tray, the World Bank’s Director for the countries of Central Asia , will complete his assignment at the end of January. Mr. de Tray has managed the Bank’s Central Asia Program and has headed its Regional Office in Almaty , Kazakhstan since October 2001.

            According to information from the WB Dushanbe Office, Mr. de Tray’s move to Almaty as the first director based in the region was part of the Bank’s commitment to decentralize program management in order to increase the impact of its development assistance.  Mr. de Tray’s tenure saw a strengthening of individual country programs and greater focus on promoting a regional agenda in such priority areas as water and energy, trade and transport and communicable diseases.

“ Central Asia is a region of great interest and challenge for those of us in the development business. I deem myself extremely fortunate to have worked and lived here. My time in Central Asia has convinced me that the World Bank’s decision to decentralize its country management to the field was the right one. You can’t know or understand Central Asia unless you are here on the ground,” said Mr. de Tray as he left Almaty.

Under Mr. de Tray’s leadership the World Bank in Central Asia has moved to a more flexible, innovative, and responsive “partnership” approach in line with the rapid economic and political changes taking place in the region and growing pressure from Governments to provide quicker and better targeted development assistance.

The World Bank’s policy advice and lending to Tajikistan over the past four years have helped to maintain economic growth that has averaged 10% per year. Disbursement of the World Bank’s portfolio improved from a low of 11 % per year in 2003 to over 30% currently.

In Tajikistan the Bank has supported a farm-privatization program that is demonstrating the benefits of private land ownership in agriculture. Yields on private farms are now two to three times higher than publicly-owned farms. Other poverty-alleviation projects improved the lives of over one-half million people in the poorest areas of Tajikistan , reduced the number of school dropouts, and improved the quality of primary healthcare services in selected districts of Tajikistan .

Mr. de Tray''s successor will be announced shortly. In the interim period, Ms. Annette Dixon, World Bank Operations Director for Europe and Central Asia , will serve as Acting Country Director for Central Asia . Ms. Dixon will work out of Almaty for the duration of this assignment.

At a personal level Mr. de Tray added that , “My wife, Mary, and I have enjoyed our time in Central Asia immensely.  This is a region of legendary hospitality, rich culture and fascinating history. We will miss it all very much.”