The nomination of President Jim Yong Kim to be the next president of the World Bank has been a consistent presence in national and international media since President Barack Obama’s March 23 announcement. The news continues to generate media attention from major outlets, including The New York Times, the Financial Times, and CNN. Selections from the coverage:
A Financial Times editorial refers to President Kim as a 21st-century renaissance man, detailing his unique background and array of expertise. The editorial’s author, Gillian Tett, writes, “Since Dr. Kim got his PhD, he has tried to blend the seemingly opposed worlds of science and social science. His development work, for example, examined tuberculosis and AIDS, both through the prism of germs and biology, but also the cultural and economic interactions of the poor.” Tett continues, “This type of research is called medical anthropology. But it might equally be labeled holistic analysis, or renaissance thought, reminiscent of Renaissance-era intellectuals who dabbled in multiple fields.”
An article in Bloomberg points to the letter sent from Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner ’83 to the governors of the World Bank backing President Obama’s nomination of President Kim. According to Bloomberg, Geithner wrote, “Kim understands the increasingly important role of the Bank in dealing with today’s global challenges, including climate change, food security, and the vulnerability of fragile states, and will skillfully convene our countries to address these new and evolving issues.”
A CNN op-ed written by economist Jeffrey D. Sachs refers to President Kim as a “a superb development leader.” Sachs, who initially campaigned for the World Bank presidency, withdrew his candidacy and is now backing the nomination of President Kim. In his editorial, Sachs writes, “The Bank can be where the world convenes to address the dire, yet solvable, problems of sustainable development, bringing together governments, scientists, scholars, civil-society organizations, and the public to advance that great cause.” He adds, “This is a global imperative, and we can all contribute to fulfilling it by ensuring that the World Bank is an institution truly for the world, led with expertise and integrity. Kim’s nomination is a tremendous step toward that goal.”
Also published by CNN is an editorial by Terra Lawson-Remer, who writes, “The World Bank has already begun to embrace a more community-empowered framework. Under Kim’s leadership this important new direction could develop sustainable roots.”
