Monthly Archives: March 2012

Support for Ocampo from ECLAC’s Executive Secretary

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Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary  of United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), organisation that Ocampo lead during 1998-2003, wrote a Spanish article  arguing why José Antonio Ocampo is the best candidate for the Bank’s presidency. Here are some of the main arguments:

José Antonio Ocampo has an “outstanding career in academia, in the advancement of development theories, direct management of public policy and intellectual leadership to display original paths to progress.”

“He has examined in depth Continue reading →

Interview dates leaked – decision due 11 April

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The interview and decision dates at the board are now set. The World Bank board conducts the interviews. They are as follows:

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – 9 April
Jose Antonio Ocampo –  10 April
Jim Yong Kim – 11 April

Apparently the board will discuss and vote on the decision straight away after the interview with Kim on the 11th and a decision is expected to be announced that day.

Amended on 30/3 with updated dates.

FT praises Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

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The FT published an editorial on Tuesday arguing that Nigeria’s minister of the economy and finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, should get the World Bank presidency job. While recognising that the US candidate Jim Yong Kim “could be a good choice” because of his background in health and his managerial experience at the World Health Organisation, the FT states that “the Bank needs more than this”:

“Its new leader should have a command of macroeconomics, the respect of leaders of both the funding and the funded countries, and the management skills to implement his or her vision. These requirements make Ms Okonjo-Iweala the best person for the role.”

Continue reading →

We must examine candidates’ track record on rejecting the Washington Consensus

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Below is a guest post from Vitalice Meja, Coordinator of Reality of Aid Africa Network.

The current debate on the next president to the World Bank is as interesting as it is puzzling. While for the first time there seems an opportunity for a candidate from a developing country to take over, the debate seems to focus around supporting individuals rather than their credentials on development agenda and transformation.

World Bank is a global institution and leading it requires a President who has an acumen to address the challenges that affect the world in a very pragmatic and dynamic manner. Such a candidate should not be limited by the failed ideological formations that have underpinned the institution of the World Bank.

For those in the developing world especially Africa, certain elements are paramount in deciding the right president for the bank. These include the following Continue reading →

We beg to differ Mr. President

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Two opinion pieces today, in the FT and Bloomberg, put forward the argument that Obama should have supported the nomination of Ngozi instead of proposing Jim Yong Kim.
In the FT’s “Obama made the wrong World Bank call”,  Edward Luce says ” if the World Bank board was required to find the best-qualified candidate for the job – Dr Kim would be unlikely to find himself on a shortlist of three. In contrast, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the only African in the running, would be among anyone’s top picks. But the process doesn’t work like that. In spite of Mr Obama’s internationalist aspirations, Continue reading →