The United States is working with the international community to mobilize political and financial support toward these goals, to strengthen regional cooperation, and to accelerate the region's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. This work in support of the Stability Pact's objectives complements efforts by the United States and others to foster peace and security in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Over 85 percent of this assistance is being provided by European countries and institutions, and international financial institutions. Much of this package is focused on energy, water and transport infrastructure improvements that will have an immediate impact on people's lives, with the longer-term goal of improving links to the rest of Europe. Recognizing that trade and investment are essential to long-term economic growth, the countries of Southeast Europe have formed an Investment Compact to identify changes to their legal and regulatory environments that will attract investment.
Privatization continues across the region in banking and other sectors.
The Stability Pact's Business Advisory Council, which includes leading Southeast European and foreign firms, is visiting all of the countries of Southeast Europe to offer advice on regulatory and other issues related to investment decisions. The project pipelines of the EBRD and the International Finance Corporation, two leading institutions for mobilizing private investment, grew 22 percent in 1999. Macedonia has led an initiative to reduce trade barriers within the region. As a first step, the countries in the region are collecting data on existing trade regimes and identifying priority areas. In Kosovo, the number of NGOs has since increased from 10 to 400.