 |
| Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala |
The
African Union Commission (AUC) attaches great importance to the on-going
selection exercise for the next President of the World Bank and is happy to
note the commitment to an open, transparent and merit-based process.
The
World Bank is the premier global institution that provides support to
Developing Countries, and is a major player in addressing wide-ranging global
development issues. It is therefore an institution of great importance to
Africa, and has been a principal partner in assisting the continent’s
socio-economic transformation, consistent with its core mission.
The
crux of development issues in the world today really resides in Africa, and
therefore, the success of the World Bank in achieving its mandate will be
judged, to a large extent, by its accomplishments on the continent. It will
also be judged by the degree to which it is able to complement its lending and
technical assistance and advisory activities with facilitation support for
knowledge sharing among developing countries, through effective South-South
exchanges to tackle issues of common interest. Finally, the AUC believes that
an effective World Bank must continue to play a proactive role, jointly with
other partners, in tackling global economic growth and financial stability
issues in a volatile and uncertain world, as well as provide leadership in the
domain of global public goods, such as environment and climate change. For this
purpose, the World Bank needs to have at its helm someone with deep knowledge,
broad experience and expertise in a wide range of development issues. It also
needs someone who has proven capable, over the years, of working effectively
both at the local, national and international levels, and in connecting the
different parts to foster synergy and complementarity.
The
AUC is pleased to note that Africa has such a nominee in the person of Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, who possesses undisputed credentials in terms of her technical
and managerial expertise, as well as a strong track record as a development
professional, both inside and outside the World Bank. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has
spent more than two decades in the World Bank, rising through the ranks to the
top management level as Managing Director. At the same time, she brings on
board a rich experience of managing a very complex economy. As Minister of
Finance for Nigeria – Africa’s most populous country, she has demonstrated
capacity to successfully drive reforms, having dealt effectively with a variety
of issues. In her recent expanded role as Coordinating Minister for the
Economy, she has also been adept in managing cross-sectoral issues, ranging from
agriculture to health, education and infrastructure. On another level, Dr.
Okonjo-Iwealahas honed her diplomatic skills as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs during the course of her career.
She
has worked extensively on Africa, but she combines this with experience of
handling Emerging Economy/Middle-Income country issues across the globe, having
had deep involvement with World Bank’s work program and other initiatives in
East Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa. She has also
led numerous initiatives of the World Bank, including the Global Food Price
Crisis Response Program, the Global Agricultural and Food Security Program, the
South-South Knowledge Exchange Program, and the Stolen Assets Recovery (STAR)
Initiative. Dr. Okonjo-Iwealais also globally known for her work on gender
issues, focusing on economic empowerment of girls and women, for which she has
won global recognition. She has earned tremendous respect and credibility
working with major shareholders of the World Bank in different capacities, who
acknowledge her deep passion for development and strong drive for results. As
Chair of IDA 16 Replenishment under World Bank’s President Zoellick, she led
negotiations that culminated in the contribution of $49.3 Billion by donor
countries to assist the poorest countries.
The
challenge of addressing development in today’s complex world requires a
multi-sectoral expertise. It requires a demonstrated ability to draw on
knowledge, expertise and experience in a wide range of areas, and to manage the
interplay of these. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s impeccable credentials, including depth
and breadth of knowledge, rich and varied experience, make her eminently
qualified and the best candidate for the post of World Bank President. She
epitomizes the kind of visionary leadership, courage and innovation needed for
the Bank today. She will hit the ground running in leading the Bank. The AUC,
on behalf of African countries, is pleased to endorse Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s
candidacy in the strongest possible terms.
AUC’s
support reinforces the decision of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and
Economic Development, who, at their meeting today in Addis Ababa, endorsed her
as Africa’s sole candidate for the Presidency of the World Bank.
No comments:
Post a Comment