The sustainable reconstruction of countries emerging from long periods of conflict is an issue that cannot be relegated to the sidelines of development. This report looks into the activities of the World Bank in this context; the lending of resources, the coordinating of international aid, the demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants and refugees, the programs it carries out to address issues such as land mine clearance and so on. The need to promote economic adjustment and recovery, to address social sector needs and to build institutional capacity has been emphasised. The report attempts to specify a role for the Bank as a key actor in supporting the transition of countries involved in conflicts into periods of sustainable peace. The purpose of this report is to provide a conceptual and operational framework for Bank staff working in post conflict situations, while encouraging the ingenuity, creativity and initiative appropriate to individual country situations.