Advice for the new president. Handy tips for the incoming president of the Bank are listed in today's Financial Times. They include a suggestion not to shout at staff and a promise that despite the decentralisation of some Bank decision-making "you can still parachute in for dinner with a president and immediately earmark extra funds for his pet project".

Robert Shrimsley's satirical article was prompted by Wolfensohn's announcement that he is leaving a handover manual for his successor.

The piece, written in the style of a memo from the "not entirely self-effacing" Wolfensohn advises: "given the current political climate and need for you to have been approved by the Bush administration, I'll start with the basics. Africa is that big place in the southern hemisphere. The one that looks a bit like a revolver, if that helps. It's poor, really poor, even poorer than Arkansas. It needs sorting out, by which I don't mean deploying a platoon of Don Rumsfeld's finest."

"The World Bank will always be pulled three ways between the rich countries stumping up the cash, who prefer at least some of it to trickle through to the poor on its way to the Swissfirst Bank in Zurich, the poorer countries who need the help, and the NGOs who think they know more than the others about how to spend it."

Later in this process we will also post suggestions and comments about where they should take the Bank and how. The candidates won't be able to say they were not warned.

The FT also carries a letter by Manish Bapna and Nikki Reisch at Bank Information Center, a watchdog NGO in Washington. This argues that "decision-making structures are fundamentally unbalanced." They point out that "Even under the leadership of a qualified president, if the bank continues to take decisions behind closed doors it risks perpetuating its image as a technocratic power out of the reach of ordinary citizens".

Alex Wilks ~ January 14, 2005

"Keep track of the rumored candidates, power plays and buzz."
The Washington Post

Next & Previous

« No good candidates. | HOME | It's got to be Gordon - TIME. »

Categories

"Offering the rumors and gossip usually reserved for Washington's bars and back rooms."
Reuters

WBpresident.org in the news

Wolfowitz-Riza-Cleveland: New Evil-doing?
Wolfowitz's right hand man jumps ship.
Caught in the World Bank storm.
We're in the papers! worldbankpresident.org media mentions.
Hot blogging on the World Bank president.
Media contacts.
Card wants Snow.
New candidate, French views.
An £8200 job ad.
Bank chief's parting shots.

"Accomplished and intelligent… sifts through the speculation and brings you the latest news."
The Guardian

Recent Rumours

Zoellick bearhug photo.
Like old times: Zoellick and Lamy
Another middle aged white American for the World Bank !
Globe and Mail: Euros Already Agreed not to Raise Questions
Official: Zoellick according to AP.
It's (un)Official: Zoellick
Zoellick will get the nod from Germany.
An opportunity at the World Bank
UPI: Wolfowitz Replacement This Week
UK involvement in the Foundation for the Future.

Links

The World Bank
Bretton Woods Project
Eurodad
IFIwatchnet

Search this site

Archive

May 2007
April 2007
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005