Pentagon hardliner to head World Bank
The Pentagon’s ‘attack dog’, Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, was named by US President George Bush yesterday to take over as head of the World Bank.
The president said Wolfowitz was “a compassionate, decent man who will do a fine job at the World Bank. That’s why I put him up."
At the Pentagon, hardliner Wolfowitz has been a lightning rod for criticism of the US invasion of Iraq and other defence policies,
The US is the World Bank’s biggest shareholder and it traditionally has an American president. Its sister institution, the International Monetary Fund, traditionally has been headed by a European.
Around the world, reactions ranging from official reserve to scepticism and outright denunciation.
A spokesman from the British government’s Department for International Development said the nomination had been noted, adding: “The UK believes that broad support of the membership, including from developing country clients of the bank group is key for the successful leadership of this institution in coming years.”
French President Jacques Chirac, one of the staunchest critics of the war, “took note of this candidacy”, his office said, adding that ”France would examine it in the spirit of friendship between France and US and with an eye on the capital mission of the World Bank to the service of development.”
One of those most vocally opposed to the idea was UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s top poverty adviser.
“It’s time for other candidates to come forward that have experience in development,” Professor Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and an Annan adviser, said in a speech to the UN Economic and Social Council.
Dave Timms, spokesman for London-based World Development Network, called it a “terrifying appointment” that highlighted a lack of democracy in major lending institutions.
Sweden’s minister of International Development Co-operation Carin Jaemtin, said she “very sceptical” of the choice, telling Swedish news agency TT, she had hoped for a candidate who would carry out the policies of outgoing bank president James Wolfensohn.
Wolfowitz’ reputation as a hardliner made it difficult to cheer his nomination to head the World Bank, said Nigerian newspaper columnist Pini Jason. He said it could a “bad omen” for the Third World.
Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi agreed.
“The appointment is another provocation from the US administration and the neo-conservatives to the Third World, especially the Arabs and Muslims.”
