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US nominates new World Bank chief | |
(20 minutes later) | |
US President George W Bush has nominated Robert Zoellick, former deputy secretary of state, to be president of the World Bank. | US President George W Bush has nominated Robert Zoellick, former deputy secretary of state, to be president of the World Bank. |
His nomination will be considered by the World Bank's 24-member board of governors, although the US nomination has always been accepted in the past. | His nomination will be considered by the World Bank's 24-member board of governors, although the US nomination has always been accepted in the past. |
Mr Zoellick would replace Paul Wolfowitz, who steps down on 30 June. | |
Some members have called for candidates from outside the United States to be considered for the job. | Some members have called for candidates from outside the United States to be considered for the job. |
'Trust' | |
Accepting the nomination, Mr Zoellick acknowledged that he had much work to do to deal with the tensions which unseated his predecessor. | |
"We need to put yesterday's discord behind us and focus on the future together," he said. | |
President Bush said of Mr Zoellick: "He has earned the trust and support of leaders from every region of the world." | |
"He is deeply devoted to the mission of the World Bank," he added. | |
He has to establish or rather re-establish confidence in the institution because it was a dark chapter with Wolfowitz Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister Q&A: What is the World Bank Choosing a World Bank boss | He has to establish or rather re-establish confidence in the institution because it was a dark chapter with Wolfowitz Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister Q&A: What is the World Bank Choosing a World Bank boss |
As deputy secretary of state, Mr Zoellick was chief aide to Condoleezza Rice between February 2005 and June last year. | As deputy secretary of state, Mr Zoellick was chief aide to Condoleezza Rice between February 2005 and June last year. |
He is also an ex-US trade representative and is currently an executive at the investment bank Goldman Sachs. | He is also an ex-US trade representative and is currently an executive at the investment bank Goldman Sachs. |
Mr Zoellick's choice was praised by the new French government. | |
"Mr. Zoellick is certainly the right man for the job," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said. | "Mr. Zoellick is certainly the right man for the job," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said. |
"He has to establish or rather re-establish confidence in the institution because it was a dark chapter with Wolfowitz," he added. | "He has to establish or rather re-establish confidence in the institution because it was a dark chapter with Wolfowitz," he added. |
But Paul Zeitz, executive director of the Global AIDS Alliance, said that he thought Mr Zoellick was a terrible choice. | |
"Zoellick has no significant experience in economic development in poor countries," he said. | "Zoellick has no significant experience in economic development in poor countries," he said. |
"He has been a close friend to the brand-name pharmaceutical industry, and the bilateral trade agreements he has negotiated effectively block access to generic medication for millions of people." |