May 31st 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process, Zoellick | Comments Off
Commenting on the appointment of Robert Zoellick to be president of the World Bank, Liberal Democrat shadow international development secretary, Lynne Featherstone MP said: “No offence to Mr Zoellick, but this is another American and another Bush appointee. The World Bank has fallen into disrepute through political appointments. It is not credible for the World Bank to preach good governance to developing nations when its own governance is based on such an outdated and patriarchal world view. The president of the World Bank should be chosen according to a transparent process on the basis of merit and qualification. It is a shame that the British government has done nothing to push for an open and meritocratic selection process for the World Bank presidency.”
May 29th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on Riza | Comments Off
Responding to a freedom of information request, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s ‘Engaging with the Islamic World Group’ has confirmed British support for the Foundation which employed (?) Shaha Riza during her time away from the Bank. more…
May 29th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process | Comments Off
Returning home from the recent African Development Bank meeting in Shanghai, economist Jeffrey Sachs comments on all that “is wrong with the World Bank, even aside from Wolfowitz’s failed leadership”. Unlike the Chinese, says Sachs, “the Bank has too often forgotten the most basic lessons of development, preferring to lecture the poor and force them to privatize basic infrastructure, rather than to help the poor to invest in infrastructure and other crucial sectors”.
May 25th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process | Comments Off
One of Sweden’s largest newspapers, SvD Brannpunkt, ran a comment on Wednesday demanding changes in the process for selecting the president of the Bank. For those of you who don’t read Swedish, translation of key points from a colleague at Forum Syd follows. more…
May 25th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on Frist | Comments Off
The Washington Post, quoting “senior US administration officials” said it was “unlikely the administration will settle on a former senator, suggesting that such a profile does not ensure competence in overseeing the Bank”. more…
May 24th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process | Comments Off
Reuters reports that South African finance minister Trevor Manuel signalled on Wednesday that he was not interested in succeeding Wolfowitz and added that he had not been approached directly about the job. Manuel couldn’t resist the opportunity for a well-deserved dig at the Americans: “I am a proud South African and the Americans see the World Bank’s presidency as their birthright.”
May 24th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on Wolfowitz | 1 Comment
New York Post claims that Wolfowitz has split up with partner Shaha Ali Riza. They also say that “a World Bank source” told them that Riza may be returning to the Bank after Wolfowitz officially steps down end June. Which gets wbp.org to thinking - who else of the Wolfowitz coterie is going to hang around and for how long? more…
May 24th 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process | Comments Off
Washington thinktank, the Center for Global Development, has posted an online survey which allows respondents to rank nine potential candidates on their merits for the post, and to comment on what changes are needed to the process. more…
May 23rd 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on The Process | Comments Off
Besides being a fascinating insight into the workings of the wonderfully quirky British House of Lords, this transcript shows that Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Lord Hamilton of Epsom, and Lord Lea of Crondall are all terribly vexed over the selection of the next World Bank president. more…
May 23rd 2007 | Jeff Powell | More on Wolfowitz | Comments Off
Spotted in Private Eye, the uncanny likeness between former head of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz and number-loving puppet Count von Count from Sesame Street.
