Wolfowitz asked to resign from World Bank

WASHINGTON, April 23 — An agency that oversees the World Bank is now asking for the resignation of the bank’s president, former deputy U.S. Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.

In a document obtained by the Financial Times, the Independent Evaluation Group asked for Wolfowitz’s immediate resignation, saying a continuation of his leadership will lead to “irreparable harm to worldwide efforts in poverty reduction and sustainable development.”

The pressure for Wolfowitz to resign mounted last week, when 42 of the bank’s senior former executives published an open letter urging his removal.

“There is only one way for Mr. Wolfowitz to further the mission of the bank: he must resign,” the letter said.

The pressure to oust Wolfowitz comes as the board of the World Bank prepares to reach a decision on whether he broke bank rules when he ordered the bank’s human resources chief to give his girlfriend a large pay raise.

“We have to ensure that the bank can effectively carry out its mandate and maintain its credibility and reputation as well as the motivation of its staff,” the committee said. “The current situation is of great concern to all of us.”

So far, Paul Wolfowitz on Sunday rebuffed calls for his resignation, citing his fight against poverty as his motivation.

The 63-year-old said he will not resign his leadership post with the international organization despite repeated calls for him to do so, maintaining the agency’s goal of limiting poverty in developing nations keeps him dedicated, Bloomberg reported Sunday.

“I believe in the mission of this organization and I believe I can carry it out,” Wolfowitz said. “This is important work and I intend to continue it.”

…removal as removal. What did qualify him for the job in the first place? He might be fighting against poverty, as he claims. But who said, the World Bank was meant to mend his girlfriend’s poverty? Political and moral conservatism do not seem to conflict with sticky fingers in his view.

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