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The World Bank Group will provide more than $1 billion in additional funding to help improve the lives of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the countries in the Great Lakes region. World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim says this new funding will provide better health, education, nutrition, job training and other essential services for people in the region whose communities have suffered from conflict for far too long. �The funding will increase cross-border trade, boost electricity supply and agriculture production, improve railroads and transport networks and help keep the peace and enable the Great Lakes region to revitalise their regional economy. The people of this region deserve to join so many others across the continent who are now benefitting from strong economic growth.� The World Bank president who has joined the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on a visit to the region says they wanted to show as clearly as possible that the World Bank and the United Nations can join forces and have a formative impact in helping the region recover from conflict and insecurity. He said they wanted to help with the Great Lakes Peace Agreement noting the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations � all are deeply grateful for the leadership of the Secretary-General in bringing about a framework for peace. Dr. Jim Yong Kim says he believes they now have an historic opportunity to dramatically reduce extreme poverty and raise living standards for people not only in the region, but across the continent.