Petition Urges EDs to Adopt Merit-Based Leadership Appointments

This urgent recommendation is backed by 185 signatures. To add your name to the list, email Jamie Baker at jbaker@new-rules.org.
The convention that the US government designates the president of the World Bank should be abandoned and replaced with selection procedures that reflect two key principles: transparency of process, and competence of prospective leadership without regard to national origin.
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A Message to Wolfowitz and the Board of Executive Directors from members of the World Bank Group’s Governance & Anticorruption Team

...We are deeply concerned by the impact of the current leadership crisis on the Bank’s credibility and authority to engage with governments, non-government stakeholders, and donor partners on the GAC agenda. As is known, there are reports from the field offices of concrete cases where the Bank’s policy dialogue and operational work on governance and anticorruption are being undermined. The credibility of our front line staff is eroding in the face of legitimate questions from our clients about the Bank’s ability to “practice what it preaches” on governance. In these circumstances, we cannot credibly implement the GAC strategy...

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For more information please contact
Dan Kaufmann dkaufmann@worldbank.org tel: 202-458-9187, or
Sanjay Pradhan spradhan@worldbank.org tel: 202-458-9187, or
Sumir Lal slal@worldbank.org tel: 202-458-7635, or
Carolyn Reynolds Creynolds@worldbank.org tel: 202-473-0049.

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United States seeks to roll back reproductive health

Washington D.C., April 25 -- At a board meeting Tuesday to discuss the "The World Bank Strategy for Health, Nutrition and Population Results", the U.S. tried, single-handedly, to roll back internationally agreed language dating from the Cairo Population Conference of 1994, which is endorsed by the World Bank.

The language in the Cairo Conference's "Program of Action" was adopted in 1994 by 179 countries, including the United States.

Yesterday, the U.S. Executive Director, Eli Whitney Debevoise II, objected to the internationally agreed language of Cairo, specifically the words "reproductive health services" and "reproductive rights". The United States tried to introduce new language on "age appropriate" provision of services, which would curtail provision of services to adolescents.

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What part of 'resign' don't you understand?

Heat on Wolfowitz as World Bank directors meet
Jitendra Joshi April 19 2007

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Embattled president Paul Wolfowitz looked more isolated than ever Thursday as directors met to debate his fate amid the rumblings of a civil war among senior staff...

..."It's not about management style. It's not about interaction with staff," the source said on condition of anonymity.

"There was an exasperation that was conveyed to Wolfowitz: what part of 'resign' don't you understand?"

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Bank Executive Directors Widen Investigation

April 20, 2007—The Executive Directors met on April 19 to address the current situation in the Bank, which is of great concern. Based on the clear guidance of the Development Committee, the Executive Directors agreed on a process to deal with the situation urgently, effectively, and in an orderly manner.

Having reviewed the April 11 report of the Executive Directors’ ad hoc group and the associated documents, the Executive Directors discussed questions related to conflicts of interest and possible violations of Staff Rules. They identified a number of issues requiring further consideration.

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World Bank Staff sick of sleaze and corruption, begin letter campaign to Board

World Bank Staff reacted with disgust today to revelations that a staff blog was being censored and that references to a planned demonstration, calling for Wolfowitz' resignation were deleted.

The blog, located on the World Bank intranet, was established on Thursday, April 12, after Executive Directors forced the full disclosure of documents in the Wolfowitz sleaze scandal. The article entitled "Executive Directors Review Report, Release Documents" led to a blog of staff response and comments that had reached 259 individual postings on Saturday evening.

Today staff learned that not all blog postings were being posted in entirety and that any postings that referred to a planned demonstration were disappearing or not being posted.

The revelation cast frightening doubt on the anonymity of staff contributions to the blog, leaving hundreds of staff who have blogged anonymously fearing reprisals from the Wolfowitz team.

In response, staff have begun a letter writing campaign to their Executive Directors asking that the Board of the Bank call for Wolfowitz' resignation. The Executive Directors are the sitting chairs of the World Bank board, representing around 180 countries, and are responsible for its governance.

Staff are now blogging at http://wolfowitzmustresign.blogspot.com/