The leadership of the World Bank is a vitally important task with huge implications for the future of international efforts towards poverty eradication and the mitigation of climate change. We consider that, if allowed to progress, Mr Wolfowitz's nomination will be highly damaging to these efforts. Not only is his nomination the result of a secretive, undemocratic selection process but Mr Wolfowitz's well-known track record of unilateralism is fundamentally ill-suited to a a multilateral institution which must balance the diverse interests of its member countries.

CEE Bankwatch Network calls on all governments in the central and eastern European region to challenge the U.S. nomination when it is discussed at the World Bank board in the coming days. Five years ago, the U.S. successfully challenged the European appointment for managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Caio Koch- Weser, whose nomination was subsequently withdrawn. While reactions to Wolfowitz's candidacy emerge and public opposition mounts, Bankwatch urges the member governments of the World Bank to propose additional candidates and push for a genuine opening of the process to greater public scrutiny.

Equally, governments in the region must push for a more democratic and transparent presidential procedure in the future. The process should be one which ensures the accountability of the World Bank's governing body to the public that the institution is designed to serve rather than one which enables a random and potentially highly divisive appointment.

The stewardship of the World Bank - an institution intended to make every effort to reduce global poverty and minimise harmful environmental impacts - is thus a crucial role which should not be contingent on highly partial political manouevrings. With the question marks which hang troublingly over Mr Wolfowitz's past and his future likely intentions, this process must not go unchallenged by World Bank members in central and eastern Europe.

Tomasz Terlecki
Executive Director
CEE Bankwatch Network

March 17, 2005