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More Corruption? Wolfowitz and Nazarbayev?
More allegations of corruption are rearing their head, and some more serious than petty cronyism. While we already know that the World Bank has increased lending to some pro-U.S. corrupt governments, documents are coming to light which indicate that Wolfowitz has allowed the World Bank to be involved in covering up shady dealings between a U.S. businessman (James Giffen) and the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. If confirmed, this would have implications far beyond Wolfowitz keeping his job: the Bank, the U.S. government, and the government of Nazarbayev could all be in hot water. Details below the fold.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Comments (4) Post Wolfie Options This FP blog entry quotes an anonymous Bank source as providing two options for the near future. Option 1: Wolfie is forced out and the process reforms; Option 2: Wolfie resigns and the U.S. puts up a good compromise candidate (Zoellick and Kimmitt are the proposals). If those are the choices I'm hoping for option 1. Sameer Dossani ~ May 08, 2007 Health strategy fight continues.
Another fight at the Bank board yesterday between the Europeans and the Americans, as reported by Reuters. This time over the Bank's health strategy, which as wbp readers will know, was improved by Wolfowitz-appointee Juan José Daboub.
more... Jeff Powell ~ April 25, 2007 "Sophisticated colonialism".
A punchy piece in The Nation from Naomi Klein argues that post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan, as well as post-tsunami rebuilding is all about drastically reshaping countries' policies and practices.
more... Alex Wilks ~ April 27, 2005 Wolfowitz-inspired placards.
The rally against the World Bank and IMF in Washington DC last Saturday did not have a massive turnout, but there were some creative slogans in reaction to the Wolfowitz appointment.
more... Alex Wilks ~ April 22, 2005 Wolfensohn reveals plans. Outgoing Bank president has been appointed special coordinator to assist the Palestinians during the Israeli pull-out from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. This is important work, and you have to admire Wolfensohn's energy for difficult challenges. And it is certainly good that the Bush administration did not put forward Wolfowitz for that job. Alex Wilks ~ April 15, 2005 Wolfensohn complains he had no political support from U.S. ...
... and then warns Mr. Wolfowitz against politicization of the World Bank. In an interview blitz, Wolfensohn manages three potential provocations -- Soren Ambrose ~ April 13, 2005 Jim, we hardly knew ye ...
Been wondering what becomes of James Wolfensohn after May 31? There have been allusions in a couple press account to his forming a "small think-tank" with 5 or 6 staff. Then there's Sunday's AP story from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota (U.S.), in which we learn about "the Global Facilities Fund for Indigenous Peoples, an international loan program. He created it with the help of Rebecca Adamson, president of the First Nations Development Institute .... The goal of the fund is to help native people around the world financially benefit from their land, intellectual property and other assets not yet tapped."
more... Soren Ambrose ~ April 04, 2005 "A war on the poor".
In appointing Wolfowitz to the World Bank, "the US is turning the war on terror into a war on the poor". This is the view of a Palestine-based law professor writing in Al-Ahram weekly.
more... Alex Wilks ~ March 25, 2005 Brazil not convinced, but accepting.
A report on Wednesday's meeting of Wolfowitz and many developing country Executive Directors in Brazilian paper is revealing. The World Bank presidential nominee was, in a nutshell, smooth and slippery. Brazilian government sources are quoted by Valor Economico (subs) as saying that Wolfowitz was well informed but on tough issues, when not able to give pleasing answers, knew how to dodge diplomatically.
more... Alex Wilks ~ March 25, 2005 Very grudging acceptance.
Wolfowitz has received semi-endorsements, through gritted teeth, from further European leaders. Few seem prepared to actively support him. Irish Finance Minister Brian Cowen told a Brussels press conference earlier: "the realpolitik of the situation is that in all likelihood Mr Wolfowitz will be appointed as chairman of the bank".
more... Alex Wilks ~ March 23, 2005 "A clear-headed military man".
Strangely Russia's Garegin Tosunian, the president of the Association of Russian Banks, thinks it is "better to appoint a clear-headed military man than a bank-office operationalist". Alex Wilks ~ March 23, 2005 Dutch and Swiss doubts.
While many other European governments sadly seem to be leaning in the direction of accepting the US nomination, at least the Dutch and Swiss are still briefing that they are prepared to put up a fight.
more... Alex Wilks ~ March 21, 2005 Further outrage from senior European parliamentarians.
"Bush's overtures to Europe during his visit and talk about global partnership were nothing more than lip service. In his nominations for important international posts he is obviously continuing to pursue a stubborn unilateral course. His candidate Paul Wolfowitz represents everything that we as Europeans don't want". These are the words of Monica Frassoni, Co-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament.
more... Alex Wilks ~ March 18, 2005 Benn equivocates.
An interestingly equivocal statement has just emerged from UK Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn. David Steven ~ March 17, 2005 Guardian eggs on Europeans. "Europeans - who remember how the US managed to veto the German candidate to head the IMF last year - should now state their objections to Mr Wolfowitz loud and clear," the Guardian argues in an editorial. David Steven ~ March 17, 2005 Elvis has left the building.
"Bono has called James Wolfensohn... 'the Elvis of economics'," writes Michael Ackley. David Steven ~ March 14, 2005 More networking than nous.
The Times of London gives a run-down of the candidates for World Bank president who it believes can restore the intellectual rigour squandered by James Wolfensohn's habit of pandering to "every single-issue protest group in sight." David Steven ~ March 04, 2005 Wolfowitz satire.
Wolfowitz's rumoured nomination for the Bank top job has inspired a burst of satire. John Cavanagh, director of Washington-based progressive thinktank Institute for Policy Studies, has published an entertaining Top Ten Reasons Why Paul Wolfowitz Would Make a Good World Bank President. Meanwhile another commentator proposed Rumsfeld to head Amnesty International. Alex Wilks ~ March 03, 2005 Cloning Zedillo.
In a letter to the FT, Jagdish Bhagwati puffs Ernesto Zedillo ("huge stature, graciousness and total familiarity with the complex issues of development") and knifes Wolfensohn ("a crisis of leadership" at the Bank). David Steven ~ February 23, 2005 Bank chief's parting shots.
The Wall Street Journal carries an interview with Bank president Wolfensohn. It confirms that Wolfensohn conducted "a rear-guard action to prevent his removal" and that he never got on well with former US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill. O'Neill criticized Mr. Wolfensohn's management style and considered having him replaced in 2001.
more... Alex Wilks ~ January 27, 2005 Wolfensohn using this site.
"I should tell you I took to the meeting with the Secretary [Snow] a print out of worldbankpresident.org and we used that as the basis of our discussion," current president James Wolfensohn told Bank staff at his 'Town Hall' staff meeting. Alex Wilks ~ January 27, 2005 Who runs the world?
We get a nice plug from Noura Boustany in the Washington Post (scroll for it, free subs), who reckons that Randall Tobias is the only "major remaining candidate" for president, with Colin Powell and Christine Todd Whitman out of the running. David Steven ~ January 19, 2005 Smooth transition.
At yesterday's press conference on the Asian tsunami, outgoing Bank president James Wolfensohn called for his successor to be appointed quickly to allow a smooth transition. David Steven ~ January 13, 2005 Not delighted about Taylor.
King Banaian - a St Cloud State University economist, rather than a monarch - is glad that "heavy handed" Jim Wolfensohn is on his way out of the Bank and pleased that Robert Zoellick is no longer in line for the job. David Steven ~ January 11, 2005 Rock star Wolfensohn.
"Less than a decade ago, the bank was under siege by antiglobalization protesters," writes Harvard economist, Kenneth Rogoff, in a report card for James Wolfensohn. "Today it's popular in many quarters." David Steven ~ January 09, 2005 The official version.
The IMF/Bank joint report offers an official version of how Wolfensohn got the job (unofficial version here).
more... David Steven ~ January 08, 2005 I remember the last time.
Everyone knows that you need to be an American to be in with a shot of making World Bank President. So how come James Wolfensohn is Australian? David Steven ~ January 05, 2005 James Wolfensohn has formally
informed the Dean of the World Bank Board, Saudi Arabia's Yahya Alyahya, of his decision to retire.
more... David Steven ~ January 04, 2005 "Over the past ten years,
Jim Wolfensohn has been an outstanding leader of the World Bank," says US Treasury Secretary, John Snow. David Steven ~ January 04, 2005 Wolfensohn's planned retirement
receives some coverage from the international press, despite more pressing concerns in South Asia. David Steven ~ January 03, 2005 Wolfensohn likely to retire in 2005.
James Wolfensohn, the current World Bank President, has confirmed that he is likely to step down as World Bank President this year. Alex Wilks ~ January 02, 2005 |
"Keep track of the rumored candidates, power plays and buzz." Categories "Offering the rumors and gossip usually reserved for Washington's bars and back rooms." WBpresident.org in the news Wolfowitz-Riza-Cleveland: New Evil-doing? "Accomplished and intelligent… sifts through the speculation and brings you the latest news." Recent Rumours Zoellick bearhug photo. Links The World Bank Search this site Archive
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