Globalcivil society organizations demand Wolfowitz resignation

The World Bank is an institution in crisis. Recentevents highlight the failures of Paul Wolfowitz; sleadership and are a result of more fundamental and systemic governance flawsat the institution. The legitimacy and effectiveness of a public bodydepends on its ability to embrace transparency, accountability and democracy inits own decision-making.

For this reason, Paul Wolfowitz must go. The Bank facesimportant challenges in the coming years, including the IDA-15 replenishmentprocess. Wolfowitz is admitted mishandlingof the Riza affair, poor judgment in appointingsenior staff and inability to provide effective leadership leave himill-prepared to head the institution. The president of an internationalinstitution must be someone who can inspire confidence in staff, membergovernments and civil society. Paul Wolfowitzhas squandered all trust that may have been invested in him.

Wolfowitz resignationis necessary but not sufficient to address the current scandal. Meaningful governance reform requires a transparentand democratic leadership selection process open to individuals from anycountry. By tradition, the UScurrently appoints the World Bank President and Europeselects the IMF Managing Director. This is wrong.

Moreover, decision-making on the Board of Directors of theWorld Bank is largely in the hands of the rich world. This mustchange. Developing and transitioncountries must be given greater voice and vote in the World Bank (and in othersimilar multilateral institutions) in light of their rights, population andgrowing influence in the world today.

Finally, the Bank continues to take decisions behind closeddoors. This secrecy, among other reasons, perpetuates its image as atechnocratic power far removed from the reality on the ground and out of reachof ordinary citizens. This secrecy has directly contributed to the currentcrisis. Transparency in Board deliberationsand broader stakeholder participation in Bank decision-making at all levels are essential.

The Development Committee communiqué issued on Sunday 16thApril said: R20;The current situation is of great concern to all of us. Weexpect the Bank to adhere to a high standard of internal governance". Weagree: the Bank needs to practice what it preaches by resolving these currentstructural and political failures immediately. The decision is in
your hands.

Signed:
Action for Economic Reforms (AER) (Philippines)
AFRODAD (African Forum and Network on Debt and Development)(Zimbabwe)
Bank Information Center (UnitedStates)
WoodsProject (United Kingdom)
Center of Concern (United States)
Centro de Estudios Aplicados a losDerechos Económicos Sociales y Culturales (CEADESC) (Bolivia)
CEE Bankwatch ( Czech Republic)
ECOA (Brazil)
Gender Action (United States)
International NGO Forum for Indonesian Development (INFID) (Indonesia)
MWENGO (Zimbabwe)
New Rules for Global Finance Coalition (United States)
Oil Change International (United States)
People's Alliance for DebtCancellation (GARPU) (Indonesia)
Third World Network Africa (TWN) (Ghana)
WEED (World Economy, Ecology & Development) ( Germany)
forChange ( Cambodia)