Brussels, 05/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission, EIB and the World Bank signed an agreement on Tuesday for a protocol for an agreement in which they will make a commitment to coordinate their studies and analyses, as well as their actions on the ground in the North Africa/Middle East region. Philippe de Fontaine Vive, EIB vice president underlined the importance of this protocol, which sees the EIB working traditionally with the Commission and World Bank. He asserted that this was a clear sign to the outside world, which as addressed to ministers from the region meeting on Wednesday 5 May and Thursday 6 May in Dublin aimed to forecast EIB operations in the region better as part of the FEMIP, the new finance instrument for EIB resources. Christian Poortman, vice president of the World Bank, also underlined the significance of consultation between the EIB and his organisation, indicating that a test case would be undertaken straight away with Tunisia. The World Bank is inviting the EIB to participate in its consultations with this country to establish its reform programme. If the result proves to be positive, the WB and the EIB may also work together in Egypt whose reform programme figures in the World Bank's 2005 agenda.