Amsterdam - The governments of Belgium and Luxembourg have transferred their shares in bank and insurance giant Fortis to the Netherlands, including the Dutch ABN Amro banking division.

Dutch newswire ANP reported Friday that Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme had made the announcement following the Belgian government's weekly meeting.

The agreement is worth some 16.8 billion euros (23.27 billion dollars), Leterme was quoted as saying.

On Sunday, the governments of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands nationalized 49 per cent of Fortis.

Fortis had been in dire need of extra funding due to its participation in the takeover of Dutch ABN Amro bank in 2007, for which it paid some 24 billion euros. (dpa)