The World Bank Group on Nov. 5 announced the launch of a new trust fund to encourage investors to increase investment in the West Bank and Gaza. The fund is co-sponsored by the European Investment Bank, the Government of Japan, and the Palestinian Authority, and will be administered by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the political risk insurance arm of the World Bank Group. Merza Hasan, Executive Director for Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, is heading the World Bank Group delegation to the launch.