Zoellick to Meet World Leaders in Search of Support
By Peter S. Goodman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Robert B. Zoellick, President Bush's selection to head the World Bank, yesterday flew to Ghana, embarking on a two-week tour of the globe to woo support and sound out world leaders.
Zoellick, nominated last week to assume the post from Paul D. Wolfowitz, who resigned in an ethics scandal, planned to visit Africa, Europe and Latin America before returning to Washington on June 19.
"I certainly want to leave no stone unturned in showing people that I'm serious in reaching out to hear their perspectives and views," Zoellick said during a telephone news conference.
In recent days, Zoellick has met with most of bank's 24-member executive board, which is expected to vote before the end of June to approve him. Wolfowitz, whose resignation takes effect June 30, has already relinquished day-to-day management of the bank.
By tradition, the bank's president is an American named by the president. Though some governments have called for an end to the arrangement, with future bank leaders selected on professional merit and without regard to nationality, Zoellick's approval is essentially assured: Most foreign governments have publicly endorsed his nomination, noting his résumé as a former U.S. trade representative and deputy secretary of state. Most recently, Zoellick was a vice chairman at Goldman Sachs.
Zoellick has said repeatedly that the controversy at the bank in recent months has been traumatic for the staff, potentially leaving a residue of ill will. He portrayed his journey to three continents -- "a grueling schedule," he said, "kind of a crazy trip" -- as part of an effort to move the institution forward.
"I think it shows courtesy and respect," he said. "I want to listen and to learn."
Zoellick said he would meet with government officials and advocacy groups to discuss the policies of the global poverty-fighting institution.
In selecting an African nation as his first port of call, Zoellick signaled continuity with Wolfowitz in one regard: Home to hundreds of millions of desperately poor people, Africa is to remain at the center of the bank's focus.
Zoellick said he also planned to continue Wolfowitz's campaign to stem corruption in bank lending, which some officials have argued has been a distraction from the bank's core mission of eradicating poverty.
"It's an issue within the larger development agenda," Zoellick said.
After his stop in Ghana, the current holder of the African Union's revolving presidency, Zoellick is to visit Ethiopia and South Africa. He then planned to travel to Britain, France, Germany and Norway. Finally, visits are planned to Mexico and Brazil before returning to the United States.
Though he said it was too early to identify areas in which he would pursue new policies, Zoellick said he planned to examine the bank's lending to "middle income" nations such as China, with an economy that has grown so large that it is a distributor of aid across much of Africa.
Neither China nor India, another swiftly growing country, is on Zoellick's itinerary this trip.
"I can't be cloned," he joked, suggesting that the trip is already packed.
Zoellick said he was recently in Asia and the Middle East and that he plans to consult with officials in those regions by phone.
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