A New World Bank
A new World Bank Group is showing itself to the media and the world.
“Let’s make certain that this time we can ensure that these commitments respond to popular demand.”, Jose Cuesta ended his most recent update on the Millennium Development Goals.
An increasing array of webcasts on diverse topics. Not all of which are banking related. Evidence the flickr account for the World Bank has expanded and demonstrates a vibrant and active World Bank.
Before the July first launch of the updated World Bank, one will notice an increase in photo opportunities with Dr. Jim Yong Kim and the dignitaries that he meets.
The inclusion of Ending Poverty and Spreading Prosperity has set the stage for younger folks. And sharpened the focus of the Bank like a laser on issues attainable to a new generation of World Bankers. The Bankers are tired and hard working, but now they are working toward lofty goals. Thanks to President Jim Yong Kim. I sat amongst Bankers on the steps leading down to the Spreading Prosperity event and I could over hear their anticipation of Jeffrey Sachs. For example, knowing that Professor Sachs was the youngest tenured professor at age 28 at Harvard. I turned to look at them and noticed they were tired but enthused for the interesting break in a building you could get lost in, happily and discovered these men and women on the steps were at the tops of their classes at Ivy League and other top universities.
If you close your eyes and open your ears you can hear the same climate change and Global Warming mantras of scientists considered environmentalists. Well, these are not scientists, rather they are economists. Being led by Doctor Kim of assigning reality to the costs of climate change. Long articles showing the economic opportunities for those willing to think globally, act locally and work together with government to effect policy and create green jobs.
Accountability at all levels and reviewing while in the field are going to become permanent parts of the World Bank group.
“The World Bank Group has explicitly stated that our new goals of eradicating extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity cannot be achieved without institutions, structures, and processes that empower local communities, hold governments accountable, and ensure that all groups in society are able to participate in decision-making processes.”, continued Mr. Cuesta of the World Bank.
Integration with the United Nations is part of the outreach and feedback loop for the World Bank. The IPCC key findings are being studied and integrated shortly after release.
You can almost feel already very bright World Bankers getting smarter and absorbing more information, knowing how it is doing and being able to anticipate what lies ahead with the help of periphery organizations. These are not adversarial relationships. Instead, they are the synthesis with entities in the field with real time data.
The doors have been swung wide open to the public and to those that feel the direct impacts of World Bank initiatives. Much of the feedback is coming from the under served and the people who have just received assistance and have completed the process under the old World Bank setting.
The importance of Water and Sanitation to developing nations and their inevitable need to build sustainable urban and city centers. Water and sanitation both are contributory to health. Health needs were a central part of Jim Yong Kim’s experience and what he is bringing to the job as head of the World Bank is the hands-on knowledge and streamlining of a large institution into a large connected group of companies and modernizing the underpinnings of the organization.
The excitement level is palpable and the forward movement of its leaders is clear. The new World Bank is a changed World Bank Group.
– By Julien David – Reporting from the United Nations and World Bank
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