Benn Calls for Reform of World Bank and Imf
The international development secretary, Hilary Benn, has called on Europe and the United States to relinquish their hold on the presidencies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
The international development secretary, Hilary Benn, has called on Europe and the United States to relinquish their hold on the presidencies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
In a speech to aid workers and MPs today, Mr Benn said that international institutions, including the United Nations needed to better reflect the current world rather than the post-1945 international settlement.
The development secretary questioned the US-European deal whereby an American is in charge of one institution, currently Paul Wolfowitz, the neo-conservative former deputy US defence secretary, is in charge at the World Bank while a European, Rodrigo de Rato is managing director of the IMF.
"Perhaps we should move towards a rules and merit-based process for appointing the senior management of all the international financial institutions," said Mr Benn.
"Is it really acceptable that the presidencies of the World Bank and the IMF should be restricted to European and US nationals respectively, because of a cosy deal made 60 years ago?"
He warned his audience in the Commons committee room that without the reform other countries, particularly those in Asia and south America, would walk away from the institutions.
Mr Benn also attacked the United Nations for waste and duplication and demanded changes to the way the UN was managed.
He cited the examples of Vietnam, where 11 different UN agencies administered 2% of the country's aid, and Zanzibar, where 20 separate UN agencies operate in a country of only 1 million people.
"If we think again of what reforms would best improve the UN's role at country level, then it would seem obvious that this must mean implementing the principles of four ones: one UN office, one UN representative, one programme and budget, and one funding mechanism."
"But without change at the centre this reform will be hopeless," he added
Mr Benn's speech was billed by DFID officials as a indication of government's thinking ahead of an official development white paper later this summer.
In a speech to aid workers and MPs today, Mr Benn said that international institutions, including the United Nations needed to better reflect the current world rather than the post-1945 international settlement.
The development secretary questioned the US-European deal whereby an American is in charge of one institution, currently Paul Wolfowitz, the neo-conservative former deputy US defence secretary, is in charge at the World Bank while a European, Rodrigo de Rato is managing director of the IMF.
"Perhaps we should move towards a rules and merit-based process for appointing the senior management of all the international financial institutions," said Mr Benn.
"Is it really acceptable that the presidencies of the World Bank and the IMF should be restricted to European and US nationals respectively, because of a cosy deal made 60 years ago?"
He warned his audience in the Commons committee room that without the reform other countries, particularly those in Asia and south America, would walk away from the institutions.
Mr Benn also attacked the United Nations for waste and duplication and demanded changes to the way the UN was managed.
He cited the examples of Vietnam, where 11 different UN agencies administered 2% of the country's aid, and Zanzibar, where 20 separate UN agencies operate in a country of only 1 million people.
"If we think again of what reforms would best improve the UN's role at country level, then it would seem obvious that this must mean implementing the principles of four ones: one UN office, one UN representative, one programme and budget, and one funding mechanism."
"But without change at the centre this reform will be hopeless," he added
Mr Benn's speech was billed by DFID officials as a indication of government's thinking ahead of an official development white paper later this summer.
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