10. Speeches of World Bank Presidents [collection under construction]

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Remarks on the Comprehensive Development Framework

( 2000-02-23) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, remarked that the overwhelming pressure on the planet is a concern that affects all of us. The pressures on the environment, on health, on trade, on crime, on growth, on drugs, on immigration—all bring us close together in one planetary context. The Vietnamese economy is facing these issues as it tries to accommodate all these factors at the same time: the pressure of competition—competition for investment, the desire to relate the country to the international trading system, and the desire to create an environment which is hospitable to domestic and foreign investors and which spreads the wealth throughout in an equitable way. Through the Comprehensive Development Framework, the country should lead its citizens, civil society, the private sector, and the international institutions to set up not a series of projects but programs. These programs will identify the issues to be addressed over the next 10 years or 15 years. There needs to be some comprehensive form of review of process, and review of plans so that one can have an integrated approach, an approach that can be leveraged, that is participatory and that engages each sector of society.
Rethinking Development: Challenges and Opportunities

( 2000-02-16) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed his vision for development, addressing these topics: poverty and the development agenda; rethinking the approach; the global trading system and the development agenda; and the partnership imperative. He concludes that the Bank must work to realize an ambitious vision if we are to go forward together into a new century in which the long pent up aspirations of the poor of the earth are to have the chance for fulfillment that they deserve.
Strategies to Fight the Globalization Trap

( 2000-01-31) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the concept of a globalization trap that have gotten support from quite a few critical publications recently. His concern with regards to globalization centers on two aspects of the problem. The first aspect is an increasingly imbalanced development path in which globalization is the reason for winner taking it all while the losers are left behind. The second aspect is that public interest is becoming secondary to individual interest, or turn it the other way around, globalization drives development, whereas government is at a loss to control it. An offensive strategy to fight the globalization trap is needed: the first aspect being a closer cooperation between the public and private sector to improve education and infrastructure, the second being to use the markets to solve problems rather than rely on government regulations, and the third is to make global communication facilities a tool for global cooperation.
Coalitions for Change

( 1999-09-28) Wolfensohn, James D.

World Bank Group President, James Wolfensohn addressed the Board of Governors. In the past year the Bank launched a new initiative—the Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF). The aim was to bring the social and the structural aspects of development together with the macroeconomic and the financial so as to establish a much more balanced and effective approach. The Bank will work with the broad development community—the United Nations, the European Union, bilaterals, regional development banks, civil society, and the private sector—to build genuine partnerships. The CDF is now being piloted in 13 countries. The general experience reviewed that strengthening the organization, human capacity, and the structure of the state, both at central and local levels, is the first priority to reduce poverty. The speaker also called for a coalition for change in the new international development architecture in the face of globalization.
Remarks at the Council of the Americas

( 1999-05-03) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, reassessed the global financial architecture and its impact on Latin America. Latin American countries, being small economies, are very vulnerable to world pressures. After a huge drop in private sector finance, we’re seeing the first signs of return. What we need now is greater transparency and supervision in banking and the private sector—and a better common set of principles and standards. We need decent government, trained government, with capacity at all levels. We need legal systems that work. We must ensure social safety nets are in place. The things that bring about equity in a society are education and knowledge. Latin America’s kids need stability and social justice.
The Other Crisis

( 1998-10-06) Wolfensohn, James D.

This is a speech given by James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, at the Annual Meetings held in Washington D.C., on October 6, 1998. It sets out the Bank's role and mission in dealing with the human crisis that has received so little attention in the media. Dealing with that crisis requires long-term work on both the social and the structural agendas. The speech also lays out a new "development framework." Such a framework would allow countries to look at the totality of change necessary to make development inclusive and sustainable.
Whither Globalism: A World in Crisis?

( 1998-05-06) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed the waves of financial crises. He noted the changes in the international scene in recent decades put the current crisis in a different light. The World Bank is trying to help the countries strengthen financial systems; get better accounting systems; and put in bankruptcy laws. The Bank is trying to address the questions of judicial systems. The Bank activities is to focus on the social aspects, to try, and ensure that one can have some basic stability and opportunity to continue with programs of education, health care, training, and address the particular problems of women.
Remarks at the Annual Conference on Development Economics

( 1998-04-21) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed that it is crucial to have economic growth and it is crucial to adhere to policies which are tried and true in terms of balance, in terms of equilibrium, in terms of monetary, and fiscal policy. The real issues are how can one deal with poverty within the framework of environmental sustainability, with inclusive and sustainable programs, with participation, and with results that can make a big enough difference. In the last seven years there has been a fantastic change in the weighting between the net flow of funds from the official institutions compared with the private sector—to the point where today private sector flows are six times official flows. The Bank is trying to deal with these new interfaces: working with the clients in a more responsive and less dogmatic fashion; asking how one can differentiate between economies; building a knowledge bank so that the Bank can leverage knowledge as a key driver of development.
The Santiago Consensus: From Vision to Reality

( 1998-04-19) Wolfensohn, James D.

James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank Group, discussed a new consensus on economic and social policy in this hemisphere that has been taking shape. This new consensus is one based on recognition of the paramount importance of what I called a few months ago in Hong Kong "The Challenge of Inclusion" — the challenge of ensuring that economic progress can become a reality in the lives of all the people of this region, especially the tens of millions who until now been very largely left behind. Chile has made commitments to a new model of Open Regionalism. The consensus goes beyond economics and finance, into the social dimension of development. It is time to retire once and for all that tired old phrase of the so-called Washington Consensus. In addition to financial resources, the Bank is determined to harness the incredible power of new information technologies, and a new spirit of openness and partnership, to make knowledge of global best-practice in development accessible to all. We are already engaged in building the internal architecture of a "Knowledge Bank." The Bank of the future will be committed to pulling its weight in translating the Santiago Consensus into reality at both the national and the regional level.
Africa's Moment

( 1998-01-27) Wolfensohn, James D.

This is a speech given by Mr. Wolfensohn to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, on January 27, 1998 at Addis Ababa. He presented a development agenda in Africa which covers: human resource development, capacity building, rural development and rural transformation, private sector development, infrastructure, conflict prevention and resolution, public sector reform and good governance, and gender and environment. To achieve all these, it is important to establish partnerships with the governments of the developing countries, donor community, private sector, and nongovernmental organizations and civil society. He also addressed the importance of relieving African debt.