New York Times (May 20)
By a long-running understanding, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been headed by a European and the World Bank by an American. “That tradition…may have fairly reflected the economic geography of 1946. But it does not reflect today’s world, and powerful new players like China, India and Brazil rightly resent it.” In fact, the IMF has been led by French managing directors for 36 of its 65 years, with the remainder filled by other Europeans. The departure of Dominique Strauss-Kahn provides a chance to end the clubby understanding. Going forward, the posts should be filled “on merit alone.”
Tags: IMF, Managing Director, Nationality, Selection, Strauss-Kahn, World Bank