Home > Press releases > 2005 > Wolfowitz as World Bank President Causes Alarm
Apr 1 2005
Friends of the Earth International Today called the decision by the World Bank board of directors to accept US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz as the next World Bank president disappointing and alarming for people and the environment.
The world's largest grassroots environmental federation vowed to struggle against unjust and environmentally harmful policies during his presidency.
Friends of the Earth International also criticized the undemocratic And nontransparent process used for selecting World Bank presidents, which excludes citizens and many governments from participation.
Friends of the Earth International's international financial institutions campaign coordinator Longgena Ginting, the former Executive Director of Friends of the Earth Indonesia, said:
"Wolfowitz's record demonstrates that he has almost no understanding of poverty reduction and environmental protection.As US ambassador to Indonesia, he ignored gross human rights violations practiced by the Suharto administration, such as those in East Timor, Aceh and Papua."
He added:
"Wolfowitz was very close to Suharto and coddled corruption and made life as easy as possible for US corporations, including some with terrible social and environmental records."
David Waskow, Director of the International Program of Friends of the Earth US said:
"The World Bank has a track-record plagued with harmful projects around the world, including major oil and gas projects that have damaged the environment and done nothing for poverty reduction. Wolfowitz, who has promoted the interests of oil corporations in Iraq and Indonesia, is the wrong person to change the course of the Bank."
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