Brasília, 3/23/2004 (Agência Brasil) - A high-level World Bank commission is in Brazil for a three-day visit as part of preparations for the World Conference on Poverty Reduction, which will take place in Shanghai, China in May. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will participate in the conference which will focus on how to reduce poverty worldwide.

The main purpose of the visit by the World Bank mission is to observe Brazilian poverty reduction projects which can be examined at the world conference in Shanghai. The mission will visit field projects in the state of Bahia dealing with Reduction of Rural Poverty, Farm Credit, and Urban Education and Development.

The World Bank mission is led by Mamphela Ramphele, a managing director, and includes representatives of governments and multilateral financial organizations. Yesterday, Ramphele met with minister of Labor, Ricardo Berzoini, to discuss the employment situation in Brazil.

Berzoini told the World Bank mission that he hoped the bank would work together with the Brazilian government especially in the area of generating jobs for young people. (translator: Allen Bennett)