SIGN-ON STATEMENT ON WOLFOWITZ NOMINATION AS WORLD BANK PRESIDENT

An Action Alert from European Network on Debt and Development, March 17, 2005

STATEMENT ON WOLFOWITZ NOMINATION AS WORLD BANK PRESIDENT

You must have heard that on Wednesday George W. Bush nominated Paul Wolfowitz for the World Bank presidency position. Wolfowitz, a key architect and implementer of the current US foreign policy, is a very controversial choice borne of a deeply flawed process.

The World Bank is an important and powerful institution and we believe it is the duty of civil society groups and parliamentarians to express themselves on this matter. To that end we have produced the below sign-on statement. This will be a public statement addressed to heads of state who have an opportunity to instruct their representatives to the Bank to vote against Wolfowitz.

The statement is deliberately short, and calmly worded, to enable as many organisations and individuals as possible to sign. Text amendments will not be possible given the rapid deadline. European governments may be forced to take a position very soon (there is no official timetable).

While the statement is targeted at European governments, who have the most responsibility and opportunity in this matter, people from all regions are welcome to sign. We would encourage them to do similar statements also to their own heads of state.

Frequent updates on the situation, and an opportunity to log your comments, can be found at: www.worldbankpresident.org.

Spanish and French versions of this statement will be available shortly.

Send endorsements of this statement to [email protected] by Friday 17th, 2005.

Alex Wilks, European Network on Debt and Development

www.eurodad.org

Public statement to European Heads of State on the World Bank President Nomination

We the undersigned wish to register our strong concern about the nomination of Paul Wolfowitz for the World Bank president position.

A. We consider Mr Wolfowitz's experience as US ambassador to Indonesia during the Suharto government insufficient qualification on development issues and economics.

B. We fear his appointment risks the Bank becoming seen as a tool of the current controversial US foreign policy, with aid flows becoming more dependent on strict adherence to US Administration priorities.

C. We reject the untransparent and undemocratic process by which one government nominates a single candidate for Bank president.

D. We call on European governments to challenge the current World Bank process and also to commit to a fully open process next time the IMF Managing Director is appointed.

E. We urge European governments to follow the precedent set by the USA in 2000 when it rejected a European candidate for the IMF position. European governments, if they act collectively, represent the largest shareholder block in the Bank. You can take action to reject the current nominee and press for other candidates.

F. We call on all European governments to clearly and publicly state their position on this matter as a matter of urgency. A challenge to the nomination would be in line with international democratic norms and many European government policy statements. Who runs the World Bank is a vital question which affects the future of international efforts towards poverty eradication.

Signatories,

Name:

Organisation:

Country: