Lest the Europeans forget the statement they made at the IMFC meeting just a month ago: “EU member states are ready to engage in a discussion of the appropriate selection criteria and processes for the senior management in all IFIs.” I may be wrong about this, but I don’t think in most people’s books ‘appropriate’ equals ‘kowtow to Bush’?
Greenpeace political analyst Daniel Mittler puts forward some credible names that we’re unlikely to hear from the White House.
From colleagues in Sweden, the response from the ministry of finance regarding their position on the leadership selection process: “The swedish (and nordic/baltic) position is very clear, the presidents of the World Bank and the IMF should be appointed in a transparent process, based on qualifications and suitability. This question is central to secure the legitimacy of the institution and that the governance agrees with swedish policy regarding recruitment to international institutions. This will be our position when the process of appointment now starts.”
The Dutch and the Nordics are doing the right thing. Angela, Gordon - what’s your excuse?
Colleagues in France have reminded us of this somewhat enigmatic response to a question whether France would push for opening up the process of leadership selection. It came from a French government spokesperson at a press conference before the Wolfowitz resignation. more…
Japanese finance minister Koji Omi told US treasury secretary Henry Paulson that “it will be most appropriate that a successor should be selected from the US, which holds world leadership.”
Another quiet knife has been stuck into the gentleman’s agreement which has until now given the U.S. government the right to appoint the World Bank president. The Brazilian government representative at the Bank - Otaviano Canuto - has asked that the process of selecting the new Bank chief be opened up. In a note to colleagues on the board, he said the board should be allowed to chose between more than one candidate, based on merit. The board meets today to consider the process for selecting the new president. more…
Despite a written answer to Parliament last week re-stating the UK’s long-standing commitment to ending the gentleman’s agreement for the selection of the heads of the World Bank and the IMF, Hilary Benn’s reaction to the Wolfowitz resignation is prompting worries that the UK has consented to a backroom deal that allows the US to continue to appoint the World Bank’s President. more…
