Paul Wolfowitz intends to make Africa his top priority as president of the World Bank, saying the 184-nation institution can play a “uniquely important role” in overcoming the troubled continents development challenges, reports the World Bank press review Thursday.
– I can not stress enough how important it is that the first priority of the bank is Africa, and the poorest people of Africa, said Wolfowitz, who assumes the presidency of the World Bank on June 1. Wolfowitz succeeds James Wolfensohn, who is completing a second five-year term.
The World Banks core mission is to reduce poverty around the globe. Wolfowitz said in an interview that he is aware that large numbers of poor people in places like Asia and Latin America require attention.
But he stressed that “Africa is an area that has been left behind by the progress that has touched other parts of the world,” and pointed to “two important differences” that make the continent an immediate priority.
– In Africa, you have this combination of real degrading poverty, combined with the most appalling health conditions,” he said, referring to “the epidemics of AIDS and malaria, which are problems elsewhere, but nowhere on the same scale as in Africa.”
That Wolfowitz is thinking so much about Africa – and not the Middle East – underscores his transition from US deputy secretary of defense.
Wolfowitz, who is in his last week at the Pentagon, was a key architect of the Iraq war and a symbol of the Bush administrations use of military power. Now, he is embracing the role of “international civil servant,” as he has come to define the presidency of an institution that employs 10.000 around the world and lends more than 20 billion US dollar (114 milliarder DKR) a year.
Wolfowitzs strong emphasis on Africa puts him in close alignment with leaders in Europe, where there is much talk these days of addressing Africas stubborn problems.
Among other things, Britain, which hosts this summers summit of the Group of Eight leading nations, is pushing to have wealthy nations pay the interest on $40 billion in outstanding World Bank and African Development Bank loans to more than 30 impoverished nations, many of them in Africa.
Wolfowitz suggested more money will inevitably be put toward Africas problems. As of June 30, 2004, the World Bank had 16,6 billion dollar in outstanding grants and loans to sub-Saharan African nations, most of them 40-year interest-free loans. In addition, the US and other nations provide billions of dollars annually in direct aid.
Wolfowitz said any comprehensive solution also will involve combating official corruption, deepening government commitments to transparency and accountability, developing the private sector and opening markets to promote trade. – I do think making more resources available has definitely got to be part of the answer, but it takes more than that, he said.
Wolfowitz further said he has not yet begun to think of details. Any major new initiative focused on Africa almost certainly will require a review of the banks broader portfolio, and down the road Wolfowitz will likely face decisions about whether to make trade-offs between regions or find new funds to bring to bear on Africa.
As of June 30, the bank had 21,2 billion dollar in grants and loans on the books for East Asia and the Pacific region, and 19,3 billion dollar for Latin America.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
