The unwritten rule in the United States reserving the presidency of the World Bank is questioning Friday after the appointment of a candidate by three emerging countries of Africa, paving the way the first truly contested election since the primary funder of developing countries.
Angola, Nigeria and South Africa supported the nomination of the Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a respected economist and diplomat, to succeed the American Robert Zoellick, who is retiring in June
"This designation stems from the belief that the executive appointments of the World Bank and its sister institution the International Monetary Fund, should be based on merit, open and transparent "say the three states in a statement.
Washington must nominate its candidate on Friday, which will remain the favorite for the position despite the African initiative: the U.S. president traditionally the World Bank since the inception of it the day after World War II, while the general direction of the IMF amounts to a European.
Brazil, meanwhile, would defend the candidacy of former Colombian Minister of Finance, Jose Antonio Ocampo, but can not do without the support of Colombia, as now seems likely.
Bogota has indeed said Thursday its preferred candidate for the presidency of the International Labour Organization (ILO), recalling that a Colombian already held the presidency of the Inter-im ; American Development.
Russia, she refrained from supporting a candidate who is not American and pleaded for a greater role for emerging leaders in the organs of international financial institutions.
DECISION BEFORE APRIL 21
The Board of Directors of the World Bank, the United States holds the largest number of voting rights and can expect support from European countries and Japan. Africa occupies only three of 25 board seats.
The secret of the candidate that Washington will support far remains guarded. And Nancy Birdsall, who chairs the Center for Global Development in Washington, it is precisely the delay in the appointment of the American candidate who has paved the way for his rivals.
"For the first time, there is competition, or at least it seems at first glance that there is serious competition. And the only way for this to be open, merit-based and transparent, is that there is competition, "she said
.
Sources close to the Obama administration have said the list of possible candidates include Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Indra Nooyi, the Director General eral of PepsiCo, born in India, Senator John Kerry and Lawrence Summers, former economic advisor to President
. A name Additional emerged in recent days: that Laura Tyson, professor at the University of California at Berkeley and a specialist in international trade and competitiveness …….
.. The State Department has ruled that Hillary Clinton will be leading the World Bank but it remains a possible candidate in the eyes of some observers.
The deadline for applications is 18:00 Washington time (2200 GMT). The board must then publish a list of three candidates and make a final choice before the general meetings of the IMF and World Bank, April 21.