14 June 2007
Uncontested World Bank presidential nominee makes no major break from Wolfowitz's agenda during Africa tour.
Less than two weeks after being nominated by the United States to replace Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank President, Bob Zoellick paid a visit to Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa before continuing his journey through Europe and Latin America. During his tour in Africa, Zoellick met with various government officials, seeking to reaffirm the Bank’s commitments to the continent and generate support for his nomination.
Despite widespread calls for an open, democratic and merit-based process for choosing the next Bank president, no one has challenged the US’s continued control of the position. The deadline for nominations was June 15, 2007, but Washington’s pick remained the sole name put forward.
Thus far, the selection of Zoellick to succeed Wolfowitz has met with mixed reactions in Africa. Government officials in Kenya, Senegal and elsewhere have come out strongly in support of the former U.S. Trade Representative, while others have dismissed the nomination on the grounds that the manner in which he was selected is deeply flawed and untransparent. By tradition, the U.S. government reserves the right to select the President of the World Bank, while European governments choose the IMF's Managing Director.
Ahead of his recent meeting with Zoellick, South Africa’s Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel spoke out against the nomination process, maintaining that the "legitimacy of both the institution and the candidate are compromised" by the undemocratic nature of the appointment process. While crediting Zoellick as a “competent individual” with a “credible track record,” Manuel emphasized that the effectiveness of both the Bank and the Fund continue to be constrained by "a huge deficit of democracy."
During what he himself described as a "listening and learning" tour, Zoellick made no major break from Wolfowitz's agenda for Africa. He said that as World Bank president he would continue to support the Bank's anti-corruption strategy and promote infrastructure development and regional integration on the continent.
Resources
- Africa would have liked non-American at World Bank by Daniel Wallis, Reuters, May 31, 2007 (Reuters website)
- Kenya backs U.S. nominee for World Bank's top job, Xinhua, May 30, 2007 (People's Daily website)
- Zoellick on whirlwind tour for World bank job by Lesley Wroughton, Reuters, June 5, 2007 (Reuters website)
- World Bank nominee starts three-continent tour in Africa, Associated Press, June 6, 2007 (IHT website)
- Zoellick puts Africa at top of agenda, by Christopher Swann and Janine Zacharia, Bloomberg News, June 10, 2007 (IHT website)
- Zoellick: infrastructure remains key obstacle to Africa's growth, Xinhua, June 8, 2007 (Xinhua website)
- Robert Zoellick says priority will be soothing World Bank's aggrieved staff, Associated Press, June 11, 2007 (IHT website)
- Manuel on World Bank presidency process, South African Press Association, June 6, 2007 (IOL website)
- US picks its winner for one-horse race to head World Bank; other countries must step up to the gate, Bank Information Center, May 31, 2007 (BIC website)