WORLD BANK PRESIDENCY: OKONJO-IWEALA, OTHERS FACE PANEL NEXT WEEK

Okonjo-Iweala
Interview dates for the selection of the next World Bank President have been fixed for next week and Nigeria's Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would be interviewed first next Monday, April 9, according to informed World Bank and Nigerian government sources here in the US.

Empowered Newswire reports that other candidates for the office, Colombia's Jose Antonio Ocampo and America's Jim Yong Kim would also be interviewed next Tuesday and Wednesday respectively after which a final choice would be released and a formal announcement expected almost immediately, according to an inside source at the Bank.

As Okonjo-Iweala and the other candidates face the directors of the World Bank Board for the interviews next week, the directors who are expected to determine who will be the next President of the Bank, are said to be under intense moral pressure on how to proceed with the selection, especially since the Bank had earlier committed to a process that would be not only be transparent, and merit-based, but also determined by consensus.

An informed source said yesterday that while the American candidate, Jim Yong Kim, might readily have the upper hand considering the support from the US, European Union and Japan, the increasing international endorsement of Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala is creating what is seen as a moral crisis for the World Bank board.

The public consensus according to several informed watchers of the race is that Okonjo-Iweala is leading and is the candidate best suited for the job. Both The Economist and the London Financial Times have endorsed her and even the New York Times in an editorial late last week asked the US not to overlook her candidacy. Although Japan is said to be backing the US nominee, some newspapers in the Asian continent including those from India and Japan, are rooting for Nigeria's candidate.

Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, Professor Ade Adefuye who also confirmed yesterday morning that the interviews are next week stated that 'Nigeria is spearheading an appeal to the conscience of the world to make the selection process that of quality and not politics.'

Adefuye, who has been active in the US diplomatic, political and financial circles campaigning for Nigeria's candidate, added that the group of African Ambassadors in the US last week endorsed Okonjo-Iweala's candidature and in addition agreed to deploy other Ambassadors to campaign with him for the Nigerian Finance Minister as Africa's candidate.

According to him, diplomats from South Africa and Malawi have already joined him in reaching out to other envoys in Washington DC to campaign for the position on behalf of the continent. Adefuye also disclosed that in a meeting with the US State Department officials last week, he made it clear that 'if the World Bank is going to abide by principles of equity, fairness and justice, we have a better candidate.'

Indeed, a non-statutory member of the board, who would not be voting, not being a director, confirmed that already talks of possible underhand, sweet deals within the board are on, which may easily overwhelm the previous commitment of the bank to ensure a transparent and merit-based process for the appointment of the next president.

In a statement earlier this year, in February when the current President announced he would not be seeking a second term, the World Bank said once after nominations have been made by countries for the new president, the Bank's 'Executive Directors will decide on a shortlist of up to three candidates, and publish the names of the shortlisted candidates with their consent.'

Indeed the bank upheld that promise and released couple weeks ago the list of the three nominees from Nigeria, Colombia and USA.

That statement then added that 'formal interviews by the Executive Directors will be conducted for all shortlisted candidates with the expectation of selecting the new President by consensus by the Spring Meetings of 2012.'

What is not clear now is whether the Bank would be able to make its determination by consensus now considering the unexpected challenge against the American candidate, which is happening for the first time since the history of selecting the bank's president.

At all previous selection, the consensus was easy because only the Americans made nominations.

In that World Bank statement in February, it was also stated that the Executive Directors of the Bank agreed that candidates for the position of World bank president should meet the following criteria:

· a proven track record of leadership;
· experience of managing large organizations with international exposure, and a familiarity with the public sector;

· the ability to articulate a clear vision of the World Bank Group's development mission;

· a firm commitment to and appreciation for multilateral cooperation; and,

· effective and diplomatic communication skills, impartiality and objectivity in the performance of the responsibilities of the position.

According to Adefuye, apart from African Ambassadors who are now behind Okonjo-Iweala's candidacy, Jamaica has also agreed to support Nigeria's candidate and also set up a meeting in Washington DC later this week through the Jamaican Ambassador to the US for a meeting with all Caribbean Ambassadors in the US, seeking their support for the African candidate.

He said he spoke last week also at the Washington International Business Group, restating the importance of ensuring equity and fairness in the process.

According to him, 'I told them that we know the system may not favor us, but this is a choice between quality and politics. If quality prevails as it should, since we all want a future world where equity, fairness and justice, then we have the best candidate.'