One common theme among journalists I spoke with today is their frustration at getting anyone from within the Bank to say anything on Zoellick. I know people would and should be cautious, but if I had anything to do with the WB Staff Association, surely this would be a time to flex muscles, no? more…
Courtesy of Daily Kos, a political cartoon showing the respect one gets when you get a top job on the basis of political appointment. more…
I’ve been asking colleagues in NGOs to let me know if their organisations produce statements on the Zoellick nomination. Several have, including Oxfam, Action Aid, Greenpeace, Plateforme Dette et Developement, International Rivers Network. They all raise varying degrees of complaint about the Zoellick nomination.
In his official announcement of the nomination just now George Bush set out various reasons for his choice of World Bank president. They include that Robert Zoellick is:
“a committed internationalist.”
“He has earned the trust and support of leaders from every region of the world”.
That’s what Goldman Sachs is known for, according to the New York Times. The following alumni are part of the “coterie” of the Bush administration:
Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson
Joshua B. Bolten, the White House chief of staff
Stephen Friedman, President Bush’s ex-director of the National Economic Council.
I guess Bob does owe a lot to ‘Hank’ who keeps hiring him wherever he goes (or when he has a say or the ear of GWB) - Wall Street and now the WB .
Talking Points Memo has excerpts from The Nelson Report, a daily update for subscribers who want to know what’s going on in Washington. It warns “certain personality traits will carry over, and create problems with his Bank colleagues different than the Wolfowitz debacle, but no less damaging, should they occur”. These traits already led to Zoellick being ousted as president of another institution: the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Meanwhile Steve Clemons supports Zoellick and gives him advice. more…
Title of an article written by Kenneth Rogoff on the nomination of Zoellick at the helm of the World Bank. In the section of ” Comments is free” published by the Guardian, Rogoff spelled out the strengths of the “good Bob” from the weaknesses of “maybe Bob”. more…
Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty told reporters in Ottawa today that he was consulted this week on the World Bank president nominee by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson. While he would not confirm the name we all know, Flaherty said the nominee “will be good for Canada.” more…
Thus is the comment pronounced by a Moroccan entrepreneur to show his disappointment at the new World Bank chief. Reuters is reporting that the Africans are criticising the current process of appointing the president of the World Bank and are angered by “the arrogance of the US.” more…
Robert Zoellick’s biography reveals some further interesting elements. He sat on Enron’s advisory board. This means that he should have interesting insights into corporate governance matters - one thing which the Bank’s board has pledged to fix up following the recent dramas. He must also have gained insights through his membership of the Trilateral Commission, a secretive top peoples’ club (though the official website no longer has him listed). more…
