Venezuela: CAF and WB open Development Information Center

The two multilateral organizations form an alliance to give access in Venezuela and the other Andean countries to a service of consultation and dialogue on development issues.

The Andean Development Corporation (CAF) and the World Bank (WB) announced today in Caracas the launch of the Development Information Center (CIDES) in the framework of an agreement signed by both organizations which gives access in Venezuela and the other Andean countries to a service of consultation and dialogue on development issues and activities.

The launch ceremony took place in the presence of Enrique García, CAF executive president, and Marcelo Giugale, World Bank subregional director for Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Giugale said that the Center was only the beginning of the search for new proactive ways of disseminating information on development. With the start of this initiative, the actors in society will be able to deepen their knowledge of development issues and participate in dialogues and discussion forums, as well as carry out research on global lessons and issues. The World Bank official expressed full confidence that other actors in development would join in the initiative. "Access to information, transparency and continuous dialogue facilitate development," he said.

Enrique García said that the launch of the CIDES marked the start of an alliance between the CAF and the WB whose objectives include promoting mechanisms that guarantee the transfer and dissemination of information on development; create incentives and favor research activities in the country; share relevant information and promote other strategic alliances with similar institutions. The CIDES will be located in the CAF Information and Documentation Center (CID) in Caracas.

The CIDES collection is aimed at students, researchers, leaders of civil society, officials of development agencies, professionals, government officials, and NGOs. CIDES offers users a variety of electronic information tools that cover a range of areas of knowledge, as well as bibliographic searches in databases or via Internet. The collection consists of statistical information, documents, studies, diagnoses, projects and reports generated by the CAF and the World Bank.