Also available in Bangla Dhaka, November 6, 2006: Christine Wallich, World Bank Country Director in Bangladesh, will be leaving her post on November 19 after three and a half years heading the operations of the multi-lateral lender in the country. Ms Wallich will be moving to Washington, D.C., to take up a senior position at the World Bank Headquarters. Her successor as Country Director in Bangladesh is expected to be announced shortly. Four of the Bank’s South Asian Country Directors are being changed this year as part of the World Bank’s routine staff rotation policy. Mohamed Alhousseyni Toure, Operations Advisor, will be acting Country Director in Bangladesh following Ms Wallich’s departure. During Ms. Wallich’s time as Country Director the World Bank has deepened its commitment to Bangladesh, with 14 new projects being approved and an increase in lending. By 2005, Bangladesh was the third largest recipient of grants and concessionary loans from the World Bank. The World Bank now supports 24 government projects and is active in a wide range of sectors including health, education, transport, water and sanitation, agriculture, and financial sector reforms. Ms. Wallich has championed good governance, backing the government’s public procurement reforms and the strengthening of regulatory institutions. She has also keenly supported initiatives in health, finance, and education that reach out to women and marginalized groups. By constructively engaging with government, the country’s vibrant NGOs, and civil society, the World Bank has sought to find local solutions and partners. It has also shown its willingness to tackle new challenges, most recently re-entering in the power sector, making its first ever loan to fund the railways, and supporting government moves to improve local government. In March, the World Bank approved its Country Assistance Strategy 2006-2009, which for the first time was prepared jointly with Bangladesh’s three other largest development partners: the Asian Development Bank, the UK’s Department for International Development, and Japan. The Country Assistance Strategy is built on two pillars: improving the investment climate and empowering the poor, and is strongly focused on governance. It will guide the Bank’s operations in the country over the coming four years and envisages lending of around US$3bn during the period. In farewell remarks, Ms. Wallich said: “When I first arrived in Bangladesh I spent a week living with a family in Shukher Char, in the Kurigram district. The Char goes under water each year when the waters rise and the family is forced to move their household and belongings to equally unstable land. The nearest medical aid was four hours away by boat; there was neither electricity nor water – except directly from the river. Subjected to the whims of the river and the weather, the family lacked any formal protection against old age, sickness, injury, or the loss of livelihood. “It was a lesson in the vulnerability of the poor that I have kept with me, but also an example of the resourcefulness of the Bangladeshi people, a characteristic I have witnessed time and again in my travels throughout this country. “I leave Bangladesh after three and a half years determinedly hopeful about its prospects. This is not just because I am an optimist. It is a view based on the creativity of the people and the enormous strides this country has already made in both economic and social terms. “Since the 1990s, Bangladesh has achieved steady economic growth of 5-6% annually, low inflation and indebtedness, and stable interest and exchange rates. In terms of per capita growth, it has substantially outperformed the average for all low-income countries and is ahead of Pakistan and Nepal in South Asia. “This performance has been reflected in the impressive rate of poverty reduction, with the poverty rate falling by almost two percentage points a year between 2000 and 2005, twice as fast as the previous five-year period. The proportion of the population now living in poverty was down to 40% in 2005 compared to 49% in 2000. We have also seen food security improve markedly, even for the very poor. “Many social indicators show the same remarkable progress. In education, near universal enrollment; in health, the fastest reduction in infant and child mortality among the world’s developing countries. “These are the gains achieved by the Bangladeshi people, by successive governments following solid macroeconomic policies, by vibrant NGOs and social movements, often developing homegrown solutions. By providing funding and expertise the World Bank is proud to have been a long-term partner in the process. “They have come despite widely held perceptions of poor governance and of a political system that lacks accountability and is blighted by the bitter rivalry between the two main political parties. Of a state that struggles to raise revenue, and fails to deliver the public services citizens are entitled to. Unfortunately, it is these failures that all too often overshadow the achievements. “This is the Bangladeshi paradox. How is it possible that such impressive results can be achieved when there is the perception of such poor governance? The key is to recognize both the successes and the failures in governance. To applaud the steady steps towards public accountability, the relatively free media, sensible budgetary polices, and the room given to NGOs, while at the same time identifying corruption and poor systems. “The challenge for Bangladesh is how to build on the successes and tackle the failures; How to create the economic growth and the institutional structures needed to reach out and improve the lives of the tens of millions of Bangladeshis who still struggle with poverty every day. I firmly believe that this is possible. “To halve poverty by 2015, economic growth will have to accelerate to 7-8% a year. This is not a huge jump. Just imagine the boost the country would receive if the power supply was improved, if the railways and ports could be modernized, if the state banking sector provided the finance to fuel growth rather than being a drain on government resources. “On the social side, many of the programs that could bring real benefits to millions of Bangladeshis are already in place. For example the government’s Health Nutrition Population Sector Program has the potential to build an accountable, accessible, and reliable public health care service and help Bangladesh reach its health-related Millennium Development Goals. Other government programs such as those providing educational stipends to girls or reaching out-of-school children show how well targeted projects can work. “Of course the present political situation is of concern. I like many other friends of Bangladesh implore all those involved to step back from the brink of conflict and search for a peaceful way to ensure that free and fair elections are held. A dysfunctional political system is increasingly one of the major constraints on this country’s development. Tough debate over policy alternatives is healthy, indeed it is the lifeblood of democracy, but endless hartals, boycotts, and repression only frustrate the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. “I strongly believe in Bangladesh’s ability to rise to the challenges it faces. By supporting the programs and policies determined by the government and people of Bangladesh, the World Bank will remain a strong and reliable partner. “My time in Bangladesh has been an enriching experience. I would like to thank the Government of Bangladesh for the commitment and cooperation it has extended to me and the World Bank during the period. Without such a firm working relationship, my job would not have been possible. I would also like to thank my partners among the country’s NGO community, academia, and civil society, whose energy and resourcefulness have constantly invigorated me. I am proud that during my time here the Bank has been able to forge close relationships with other donors and I am very grateful for their cooperation and advice. “Personally, my husband and I have enjoyed our stay enormously, made friends and been allowed to share in this country’s rich culture. From the family in the char lands I mentioned earlier, through to colleagues at the Bank, we have been greeted with a warmth, enthusiasm, and hospitality that will always make Bangladesh very special for us.”
___________________________________________________________________________________ Contacts:
S.M.Rezwan-ul-Alam (880-2) 8159001 Ext. 4242 salam3@worldbank.org; and
Rehnuma Amin (880-2) 8159001, Ext. 4136 ramin1@worldbank.org
For more information on the World Bank in Bangladesh, visit: http://www.worldbank.org.bd |
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