The president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, said Monday that in order to make development aid more effective, it is important that the cooperation among donors and recipient countries extend beyond money to include the sharing of experience and knowledge, according to the World Bank Press Review.
In an appearance before the European Parliament, Zoellick stressed that the objective of the World Bank is to help the poorest, particularly in Africa, not only with funding but also by pushing for reforms above all in the fields of energy and infrastructure and regional integration.
Zoellick also told reporters on his visit to Brussels that:
– Poor countries benefiting from rising energy prices need help to ensure the extra cash does not fuel corruption, while non-oil developing states are hard hit by rising commodity prices.
He added that these countries need help to ‘cushion the blow.’
Zoellick also said the World Bank is encouraging China to be a ‘responsible’ lender in Africa amid European concerns about its growing role on the resource rich continent.
– We are starting to work with both the Africans and the Chinese about encouraging responsible lending policies so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, he told EU lawmakers at the European Parliament.
However, Zoellick, who is due to visit China in December, also said that Europeans should be careful about lecturing African countries about borrowing from China.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
