New WB Prez makes Asia-Pacific 1st official destination
26 Jul '07
3 min read
World Bank President, Robert B. Zoellick, embarks next week on his first official trip. He will visit: Australia to attend the meeting of APEC Finance Ministers, so he can gain insights from officials across the Asia Pacific, while also meeting Australian leaders; Cambodia and Vietnam, where he will join local Bank staff to see first hand the challenges facing two countries at very different stages of development; and Japan, for talks with a major shareholder and host of the G8 next year.
The trip complements a visit that Mr. Zoellick made last month to Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Latin America, as a nominee to the World Bank post, to listen and learn how the Bank can play a more effective role in promoting global development.
Announcing the upcoming trip at a media briefing in Washington, Mr. Zoellick said his visit was an opportunity to continue his dialogue with stakeholders, adding that the journey to Japan would also give him a chance to acknowledge its generous and important support to the World Bank.
“As one of the largest contributors to foreign aid in the world and the World Bank's second largest shareholder, Japan is a vital global development player,” Mr. Zoellick said.
“Japan's cooperation with the World Bank, particularly through the Bank's soft lending arm — the International Development Association (IDA) — has contributed to progress in Africa and the poorest countries, and we hope to encourage the continuation of that generous support,” he added.
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