When President Barack Obama recently nominated Jim Yong Kim to head the World Bank, debate arose on who among the other formidable candidates would be best qualified for the top job.
Ms Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s finance minister and former Colombian finance minister José Antonio Ocampo are other frontline candidates. I have no doubt that Kim, a Korean-American public-health expert, would make an exceptional head of the bank. He had led World Health Organization's global body on AIDS/HIV.
I also have no doubt that Ngozi, a World Bank savvy insider, could bring in her experience and development perspective which are crucial ingredients in regions yearning for development.
Ocampo could also upgrade the South-South cooperation.
The new leader might want to check whether the impact of what they do could trickle down to a farmer, a fresh graduate or vegetable vendor somewhere in India, Africa or Chile.
The leader should bring intellectual, economic and political empowerment to overcome poverty and related hardships. The new chief may need to be a little more passionate in encouraging policies that bring governments, the private sector and people at the grassroots level to a participatory stage. Integration and inclusive engagement can significantly reduce hurdles that stand in the way of people’s socio-economic freedom.
A more of a down-top approach would be a more appropriate means of empowering individuals’ industrious capabilities rather than solely depending on governments, some of which are more politically charged than development focused.
The next president also faces significant challenges. Whether it will be Kim, Ngozi or Ocampo, one thing remains; raising people out of poverty is a moral aspiration. I expect the best candidate to win, but it is not always the case.
Benson Kamary
Secretary General Community
Seoul
bkamary@yahoo.com
Secretary General Community
Seoul
bkamary@yahoo.com
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