Devex: ‘Why leave? I believe it’s time,’ Jim Kim tells staff
“Seeking to address ‘the last few weeks of speculation about the future of the World Bank Group,’ outgoing World Bank President Jim Kim sent a letter to staff Monday. … ‘I believe the World Bank Group is well positioned to capitalize on great opportunities in the coming years. I also believe that in my particular case, this is the right time to leave, especially following the capital increase,’ he wrote. Kim’s departure — officially at the end of this week — ignited both a race to replace him and a renewed debate about whether the United States should continue to hold sway over the World Bank’s presidential appointment process. Given the Trump administration’s views on issues such as climate change and skepticism about multilateral institutions and development assistance in general, that question has grown more urgent…” (Igoe, 1/29).