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Press release
Wednesday 16 March 2005
WDM's response to US appointment of Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank
Commenting on the news of the US appointment of leading neo-conservative and architect of the Iraq war Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank, WDM's Head of Policy Peter Hardstaff today said:
"The fault for this truly terrifying appointment really lies at the door of European Governments who last year insisted on retaining their right to appoint the head of the IMF rather than adopt an open, democratic and transparent selection process, as the UK had committed itself to in the 2000 White Paper on Globalisation. Once they had rejected this opportunity for change there was no way that the US would do anything other than exercise their end of the deal and appoint the head of the World Bank."
ENDS
Notes
[1] The UK Government White Paper on Globalisation (December 2000) stated: "The UK favours open and competitive processes for the selection of top management [of the IMF and other international financial institutions]. This could include a definition of the competencies for the post, selection and search committees and a clear process for taking the final decision, in which competence would be put above consideration of nationality."
[2] In April 2004 European finance ministers chose former Spanish finance minister Rodrigo Rato as head of the IMF.
Contact:
Dave Timms , Press Officer, WDM: 07711 875 345 or dave@wdm.org.uk
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