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World Bank sees growth in Ecuador, Colombia,Venezuela

QUITO, Ecuador, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela are poised to see economic growth in 2000 in contrast to the turbulence of 1999, a World Bank official said Friday.

``Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador will have a better year in 2000 than they did in 1999,'' said Andres Solimano, the World Bank director for the three Andean countries.

Debt-burdened and crisis-struck Ecuador should see 1 percent economic growth after last year's steep recession while Venezuela should grow 2.5 percent and Colombian economic output should range between 2 and 3 percent, he said.

``Economic recovery depends on many things, oil prices are higher and now the effects of financial crisis in Asia, Russia and Brazil have ebbed,'' he told reporters.

Colombia's gross domestic product contracted 5 percent last year and President Andres Pastrana's government forecasts 3 percent growth in 2000.

Venezuela's economy shrank by 7.2 percent, its worst recession in a decade, but its government predicts 2.2 percent growth this year.

Ecuador saw its economy contract 7.5 percent and inflation reach 60.7 percent while its currency lost two thirds of its value last year.

Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, along with Bolivia and Peru, are members of the Andean Community, Latin America's oldest trade group that counts 100 million people.

Solimano said the World Bank is keeping a close eye on Ecuador's situation.