Comments on: Is the World Bank board sure what Jim Kim thinks?

By: JennyLJones

JennyLJones — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:03:04 +0000

The choice of Kim is a good one for the reason that he is a practitioner of development. Anyone who has followed the Bank’s failed policies especially in Africa – SAP’s, Education, etc will tell you that the theorists can’t to the job. Okonjo is not a success by any measure when it comes to seeking such a top job. If is a fantasy or is it a fairy tale, that a Nigerian would seek such a job. Her career in Nigeria did not turn that nation around. Being from a country or continent in which they cannot manage their money, seek debt forgiveness yet come for more and do not ever show signs of improved governance of their monetary and corruption ridden structures raises an eyebrow. Asia is the direction of the next few years and Kim is well placed to take that on. It matters that you are from a country that is not known as the corrupt Mecca of the world.

By: Danny_Black

Danny_Black — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:25:54 +0000

Jeneral28, it is easy. They all transfer wealth from poor first worlders to rich third-worlders whilst enriching themselves.

WB is up there with the other supranational institutions like the UN in that if they cannot rape it, steal it or embezzle it then they are simply not interested.

By: eas545

eas545 — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 02:49:21 +0000

I fail to understand why Iweala should not be disqualified on the count that Nigeria is in bad economic health.

By: Jeneral28

Jeneral28 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:51:10 +0000

I bet a lot of money Jim Yong Kim doesnt know what all five arms of the Bank does.

By: camillus24

camillus24 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:43:31 +0000

Your crusade against Jim Kim is getting ridiculous. The logic behind his selection is not that egregious in that development aid over the last five decades has only been shown to be successful in the one area where Kim has been a luminary–health care.

The type of basic economics needed to serve as a leader at a bank which does very little complicated financial engineering can be picked up in a week. Even then, if he doesn’t, the numerous economic experts on his staff are there for a reason (i.e., to provide him with the guidance to make good decisions). He has already shown that he can lead large instituitions (e.g., Dartmouth) so as a candidate he doesn’t really have material flaw.

Ngozi is typical of the candidates who a large proportion of the world is sick of. Superficially qualified (no real development experience), narrowly trained (ie., only in finance and economics) and a favorite of the world’s elite (ie., popular former finance minister). If this sort of candidate had not been repeatedly tried and failed, I would be much more sympathetic to your argument.

Now there are some extra tweaks people are adding like diversity which are also more ambiguous than you claim. Jim Kim is Asian in heritage and given the Bank is going to re-orient towards Asia increasingly in the future, an African (woman or not) is not going to help here.