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Summary
Kosovo joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on Monday, a little more than a year after its disputed independence from Serbia. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci signed the institutions' articles of agreement at the US State Department, making the tiny country the 186th member of the Bretton Woods multilateral institutions. The accession marks a milestone for recognition of one of Europe's poorest countries after its unilateral declaration of independence on February 17, 2008. We will do our best to be worthy to be equal to all of the rest of the world, Kosovan Finance Minister Ahmet Shala said at a news conference at IMF headquarters in Washington. For years we have had a dream to be equal and membership has made that dream come true, he said.
