Il The World Bank's board of directors meets today in Washington to name the new president of the institute, successor of the American Robert Zoellick.
Il the favorite is another American, Jim Yong Kim, 52, Korean-born doctor and anthropologist nominated by Barack Obama. His opponent is a woman, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, 59 years.
Zoellick will end his mandate on June 30th. In the middle of the day, the name of whoever will take his place will be officially communicated. Kim counts on the support of Americans, Japanese, Canadians, Russians and probably Europeans as well, an almost overwhelming majority.
Okonjo-Iweala, first non-American candidate for the presidency of the World Bank, for 25 years a respected executive of the institution, enjoys the support of the BRICSthe emerging economies. His goal, if not to win, is to challenge the unwritten pact, according to which the presidency of the World Bank is in fact assigned to the USA, while that of the International Monetary Fund is traditionally destined for Europe.
