Jim Yong Kim is the new World Bank Chief

Washington, Apr 17: After the hectic parleys and negotiations for who will be the next World Bank Chief, the verdict has been pronounced. Korean-born American health expert Jim Yong Kim has been chosen for the top job, who was essentially Washington’s choice that caused a lot of raised eyebrows among developing countries on the selection process.

52-year-old Kim, President of Dartmouth College, will take over the new role when the World Bank’s current President Robert Zoellick demits office. Though the decision on Kim was not unanimous, the Board while making this announcement said, “The final nominees received support from different member countries, which reflected the high caliber of the candidates."

Kim bagged the top job beating Nigeria's widely respected finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Kim had the support of key Washington-allies Western Europe, Japan, Canada and some emerging market economies, including Russia, Mexico and South Korea.

Unlike previous World Bank Chief’s, Kim is not a politician, a banker or diplomat. On the other hand, he is a trained physician and anthropologist who has worked to bring health care to the poor in developing countries, whether fighting tuberculosis in Haiti and Peru or tackling HIV/AIDS in Russian prisons.

OneIndia News