[stop-imf] WB responds to request for debate

[Robert Weissman]

http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/openletter.htm
August 17, 2001

       Dear Messrs. Dahaner, Azcarate, Ambrose and Weissman:

       On behalf of World Bank President James Wolfensohn and IMF Managing
Director Horst K=9Ahler, thank you for your letter dated August 8.

       We welcome your interest, as you state in your letter, in
"educating the public about how the global economy works". One of the
unfortunate results of the violence and disruptions that
       have occurred around recent international meetings is that they
have curtailed opportunities for pursuing dialogue and cooperation among
representatives from developing and
       developed country governments, international institutions, civil
society organizations and the private sector. Public and media attention
have too often focused on the protests
       themselves rather than on the issues.

       The Bank and the Fund believe that civil society has a critical
role to play working with international institutions and governments to
address the challenges of globalization, economic
       development and poverty reduction. We remain committed to
meaningful dialogue with civil society as part of our everyday work. There
are numerous examples of this, such as the
       support our institutions provide to work with governments in
engaging their publics in the formation of national poverty reduction
strategies, consultation on major policy issues and
       working together in partnership at many levels. We also will
continue our dialogue with civil society at the Annual Meetings, as in
previous years. At the 2000 Annual Meetings in Prague,
       we held discussions with approximately 400 NGO representatives who
attended the Meetings.

       Informed public discourse on the global economy is clearly needed.
But this will only be possible if the parties involved focus on the issues
and facts, renounce violence, treat different
       points of view with respect, and adhere to the principles of
promoting a serious, civilized, and constructive dialogue. In the past,
there have unfortunately been a number of instances
       where this has not been the case.

       If you agree on these principles, then we look forward to
identifying opportunities for discussion with representatives of your
groups as part of our dialogues with civil society. We have
       asked Carolyn Reynolds of the Bank (creynolds@worldbank.org) and
Simonetta Nardin of the Fund (snardin@imf.org) to work with you in this
regard.

       Sincerely,

       Mats Karlsson, Vice President, External Affairs and United Nations
Affairs, World Bank
       Thomas C. Dawson, Director, External Relations, International
Monetary Fund


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Robert Weissman=09<rob@essential.org>
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