16 April 2007
Some of the interesting press and commentaries circulating about embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz today.
Wolfowitz says he will continue in his position at the Bank. Rumor is that in spite of several outspoken critics of the President, general division amongst European member governments may have offset any effective and concentrated attempt to remove the President from office. See the FT's April 15 article: Wolfowitz remains defiant amid turmoil.
And several notable African activists have spoken out against Paul Wolfowitz, countering the widely-circulated praise he's received from four African member government representatives. "Don't try to make Africa his saving grace," Njoki Njoroge Njehu, Executive Director of Nairobi-based Daughters of Mumbi Global Resource Center, told 50 Years is Enough. "The impact of the World Bank's policy impositions of the last 20 years still devastates us every day."
An April 16 New York Times editorial joins the chorus of voices demanding that Wolfowitz step down."What might Mr. Wolfowitz himself say if he discovered that a government receiving World Bank loans was making similar sweet arrangements for the personal friends of its president? There is no way Mr. Wolfowitz can recover his credibility and continue to be effective at the bank."
An April 15 Financial Times article is also reporting that it wasn't just Wolfowitz's girlfriend who received sweet deals from the institution. "Separately, two sources told the Financial Times that Xavier Coll, the bank’s senior human resources officer, was not consulted over the terms and conditions offered to Robin Cleveland and Kevin Kellems, former Bush administration officials who Mr Wolfowitz brought with him to the bank.
"Ms Cleveland and Mr Kellems were given salaries of about $250,000 (£126,000) net of tax – the same amount paid to the highest ranked career bank officials, who typically have 25 years of development experience
"World Bank policy is that the president has the authority to make an appointment at any level, but it would be normal for the head of HR to be consulted over the terms of such appointments, two sources told the FT. It is understood that mid-ranking HR officials were consulted over the appointments."
Finally, on a separate but related note, reports are circulating that Williams & Connolly LLP, the law firm World Bank General Counsel Ana Palacio hired to investigate the leak of Board documents to Fox News earlier this year, has close ties to Paul Wolfowitz. "On April 12 staff learned that Robert Barnett, a lawyer at Williams & Connolly LLP, is Paul Wolfowitz's personal lawyer," the blog wolfowitzmustresign has posted.