Paul wolfowitz: 'een robuste samenwerking tussen de Wereldbank en het Europees Parlement (en)

New World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz met Development Committee MEPs on Tuesday to discuss the international development agenda, focusing on Africa. He outlined the Bank's priorities, and advocated harmonising its procedures with those of other donors such as the EU, the world's leading provider of aid and assistance to developing countries.

Between the EP and the World Bank, it's a "partnership of choice" said Mr Wolfowitz. The two institutions accounted for 85% of total aid in 2005. This "robust partnership" focuses on Africa, the Bank's priority number one. He told MEPs that one pleasant surprise after his appointment was to realise how committed European countries were to Africa. He also pointed out that 17 African countries have achieved annual growth rates of 4 to 5% in the last 10 years. To boost this cooperation, the Bank needs to harmonise its procedures with other donors, like the EU.

Turning to how the Bank works, he said that it now has to improve its flexibility and respond faster to emergencies like the earthquake in Pakistan and to the needs of countries emerging from conflicts. In the case of Liberia, the timescale of interventions is now around 3 to 5 months, rather than the traditional 3 to 5 years.

Max Van den Berg i (PES, NL) and Thierry Cornillet (ALDE, FR), asked Mr Wolfowitz about a possible gradual shift in the Bank's paradigm, away from its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals and towards emphasizing economic growth. Mr Wolfowitz reminded MEPs that poverty cannot be reduced without growth. African countries must make progress on public revenue management, auditing and public procurement. These countries also need strong parliaments and a free press.

Monica Frassoni (Greens/EFA, IT), a member of the World Bank's parliamentary network, stressed the need for the Bank to make more room for MPs from all over the world. Mr Wolfowitz replied that the network provides a good opportunity to take part in the Bank's spring summits. But he also wants to work with civil society groups, which is very difficult in some countries.

Answering a question from Robert Sturdy (EPP-ED, UK) on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), Mr Wolfowitz said that views differ within the Bank on this question. Personally, he is more sympathetic to them than others, provided that the Doha Round can be concluded.

Development Commissioner Louis Michel i stressed the complementary nature of the two institutions. "The World Bank is and remains a bank, whereas the European Commission has a political dimension", he said.

In her closing remarks, Luisa Morgantini (GUE/NGL, IT) reminded Mr Wolfowitz that she had written a letter in the name of the Committee on Development disagreeing strongly with his appointment to the post. Having heard him, she had changed her mind somewhat, she declared.

13/11/2006

Committee on Development

Chair : Luisa MORGANTINI (GUE/NGL, IT)