Bank backs Liberia

The World Bank has agreed to help Liberia recover from decades of conflict and isolation - a strong signal to other international groups to follow suit.

International donors have stayed away from Liberia for years and its former leader, Charles Taylor, now in exile in Nigeria, is accused by foreign governments of fanning wars in the region.

Since the signing of an August peace accord to end 14 years of civil war in Liberia, and a transition Government preparing the country for elections by October 2005, the international community is cautiously returning to Liberia's side.