Wolfowitz in the news: October 16-23
Press and commentary on Wolfowitz's recent trips to France and Norway.
23 October 2006
Wolfowitz visited France and Norway this week, and commented on the upcoming IDA replenishment, Africa and the fight against corruption.
Monday 10/16: Oslo.
Wolfowitz spoke at the third official Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) conference in Oslo, Norway. The conference brought together senior government officials from resource-rich countries, executives from some of the world's largest petroleum and mining companies, and civil society representatives from the North and South.
Wolfowitz referred to the leakage of over $300 billion in oil wealth from Nigeria over the last four decades in his opening speech, and praised the positive steps the country’s leaders have recently taken to fight corruption. Obiageli Ezekwesili, the chairwoman of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, commented on the importance of the EITI recommendations in helping her country address the corruption challenge, Nigerian newspaper This Day wrote.
The presence of Paul Wolfowitz and several other high-profile speakers at the conference raises questions about the political function that EITI serves for its champions. Civil society remains concerned that unless rigorous validation procedures are enforced, rhetorical commitments to EITI may have little impact on the benefits the public derives from extraction of natural resources.
The President was also met by demonstrators calling for cancellation of developing country debt. “Wolfowitz responded that he couldn’t promise debt eradication for all countries, noting that each case is unique. But in most cases, he said, it should be possible ‘to find a way’ to erase the debt,” www.aftenposten.co reported.
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Wednesday 10/18: France.
Wolfowitz spoke at a conference organized by the Institut Francais des Relations Internationales. He appealed to the country to adhere to promises to double aid to Africa by 2010, and remarked on the Bank’s interest in strengthening its relationship with France.
He also commented on the upcoming International Development Association (IDA) replenishment. “France has been a leader in IDA in the past and I hope France will be a leader this time,” Reuters quoted the President as saying.
The visit may have also been an attempt to mend a rift with the country caused by the controversial anti-corruption plan. Wolfowitz presented the Governance and Anti-Corruption Framework at the September 2006 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings. Although the plan was approved, the Bank’s Development Committee placed oversight of the framework in the hands of the Executive Directors.
“The deal followed months of tensions between Wolfowitz and mainly big European countries worried that his zeal could slow the flow of lending and punish the poor,” Reuters wrote on 10/18.
Development Committee member Thierry Breton, French Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry, stated the need for the institution to coordinate with other actors in the fight against corruption, establish a clear and impartial decision-making process, and ensure country ownership of the strategy.
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