(Recasts with World Bank reengagement, adds quotes)
WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - World Bank President Robert Zoellick on Tuesday signaled the development lender was ready to reengage with Ivory Coast, a day after toppled leader Laurent Gbagbo was arrested with the help of French forces.
Zoellick told a conference call with reporters he would meet with Ivorian officials this week during semi-annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Washington to discuss how the bank can help move the country beyond its political crisis. For more see [ID:nLDE73A2CP].
The World Bank froze aid to Ivory Coast in December after Gbagbo, who led the country for 10 years, refused to hand over power to internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara following elections in November.
Gbagbo's arrest on Monday opens the way for multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and African Development Bank to resume aid to the country, although Zoellick did not officially announce such a move during the conference call.
Zoellick said any help for Ivory Coast needed to involve West African regional blocs such as ECOWAS. He also said the World Bank could move forward on writing off the country's debt, which would free up resources for the new government.
"More important than the debt numbers is what we can do in terms of financial support and getting people back to work and connecting the whole security environment with justice and governance," he added.
The French government announced on Tuesday it would give Ivory Coast 400 million euros in financial aid to help residents and to restart public services in the capital Abidjan. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by James Dalgleish)
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