Robert Zoellick

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2008 – World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick said the institution was ready to help the victims of China’s earthquake as he expressed his condolences following the disaster that hit the central province of Sichuan on May 12, killing about 15,000 people.

“The World Bank stands ready to support the Chinese Government in any way it may find useful in the recovery and reconstruction process,” Mr. Zoellick wrote in a May 12 letter to Chinese Premier Mr. Wen Jiabao. “Our thoughts are with the Chinese people at this tragic and sorrowful time,” he wrote.

Mr. Zoellick said the Bank Group would draw on its considerable expertise in catastrophe management and reconstruction.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008 – High food prices are threatening recent gains in overcoming poverty and malnutrition, and are likely to persist over the medium term, says a new World Bank Group policy note released today.

“Poor people are suffering daily from the impact of high food prices, especially in urban areas and in low income countries,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.

A typical meal for local inhabitants in the Amazon region of Brazil, near Manaus: Photo by Julio Pantoja / World Bank (CC)    » read more »

09 April 2008 -- World Bank President Robert Zoellick is warning that high food prices could wipe out hard-won gains against poverty and malnutrition.

Zoellick says in a new World Bank report issued Wednesday that people in poor urban areas and low-income countries are suffering daily from the impact of high prices.

Will Eat For Food: Photo by Mikael Altemark (CC)

The report said the price of wheat in Yemen has doubled in the past year and could reverse all the gains made in poverty reduction made in the past 10 years in the country.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, January 24, 2008 –Robert B. Zoellick will begin this week his first major visit to Africa as President of the World Bank Group. He will travel to Mauritania, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Mozambique. Mr. Zoellick visited South Africa in November of last year.    » read more »

Facility will Tackle Climate Change and Deforestation

BALI, INDONESIA, December 11, 2007— World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick launched a groundbreaking financing mechanism today to combat tropical deforestation and climate change.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) was developed because forests are more important left standing than cut. It will reduce deforestation and forest degradation by compensating developing countries for carbon dioxide reductions realized by maintaining their forests.    » read more »

World Bank Group President Unveils Strategic Direction to Advance Inclusive & Sustainable Globalization

Washington, October 10, 2007--World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick said, “It is the vision of the World Bank Group to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable globalization – to overcome poverty, enhance growth with care for the environment, and create individual opportunity and hope.”    » read more »

Washington, October 4th, 2007 – World Bank President, Robert B. Zoellick, today announced the appointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as a Managing Director of the World Bank. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala will join Managing Directors Juan Jose Daboub and Graeme Wheeler, Executive Vice Presidents Lars Thunell (IFC) and Yukiko Omura (MIGA), and Chief Financial Officer Vincenzo La Via at the top level of World Bank Group (WBG) management.    » read more »