U.S. nominee for WB envisions open, inclusive agency

Jim Yong Kim, the U.S. nominee for the World Bank presidency, said on Wednesday that the global lender should continue to make efforts to become a more transparent and accountable agency to promote inclusive development around the globe.“We live in a time of historic opportunity. Today more people live in fast-growing economies than at any time in history, and development can take root anywhere -- regardless of whether a country is landlocked, just emerging from conflict or oppression, large or small,” according to Kim’s op-ed article to be published in the Financial Times on March 29, which was made available by the U.S. Treasury Department Wednesday.“My own life and work have led me to believe that inclusive development -- investing in human beings -- is an economic and moral imperative,” said the South Korean-born American medical expert.Every country must follow its own path to growth, but the collective mission must be to ensure that a new generation of low and middle-income countries enjoys sustainable economic growth that generates opportunities for all citizens, stressed the president of Dartmouth College.“But for change to happen, we need partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society to build systems that can deliver sustainable, scalable solutions. And as we work for global prosperity, we must draw on ideas and experience from around the globe,” said Kim, who was on his two-week global tour to World Bank member countries to garner support for his candidacy.“My message is simple: an era of extraordinary opportunity requires an extraordinary global institution. I want to hear from developing countries, as well as those that provide a big share of the resources to development, about how we can together build a more inclusive, responsive and open World Bank,” he noted.