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Zoellick’s visit to Sub-Saharan Africa

As President Yar'Adua retains his hold on the presidency, can he reform the deeply flawed electoral process that put him into power?Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, completed his tour of Sub-Saharan Africa last month, after visiting the countries of Mauritania, Liberia, Ethiopia and Mozambique. In a previous article it was mentioned that the World Bank has aligned with the International Development Association and the International Finance Company to promise deeper economic support to Africa. This year’s funds promise more than $7 billion and Mr. Zoellick’s tour aimed to ensure the region of the Bank Group’s commitment to Africa [1].

Mr. Zoellick first spent two days in Mauritania, a country which he commented “has taken significant steps over the last two years in laying the foundation for overcoming poverty and increasing development in the country,” pointing to the democratic election process and 2007 commencement of governance reforms as encouraging. He also said that he looks forward to learning “how the World Bank Group can best support its development agenda”. Mr. Zoellick signed two Memorandums of Understanding with the Mauritanian government during his visit. The first summarizes commitments to providing Mauritania with a variety of lending strategies and advising opportunities from different World Bank Group associates. The second agreement of understanding accepts Mauritania as a member of the Private Sector Liaison Officer Program – focused on free trade and development. The World Bank Group is also working toward establishing a Social Development Fund to encourage participatory decision making, local capacity building and community control of resources in order to target poverty in the country [2].

His second stop was Liberia, where Mr. Zoellick also expressed optimism about the country’s socio-economic future. He attended a discussion on post-conflict reconstruction along with the Liberian Ministers of Finance, as well as other development partners such as the United States, the European Commission and the African Union. The meeting addressed the efforts necessary to attach Liberia’s increasing political stability and conflict resolution with economic gains for the country’s citizens [3].

In Ethiopia, Mr. Zoellick attended the 10th Ordinary Assembly African Union Summit and gave a speech in which he pledged the World Bank Group’s support to the African Union in helping them develop a competitiveness agenda and expressed his belief that with an effective development strategy, Africa can have an economic take-off much like East Asia did roughly twenty years ago. He closed his speech by discussing the need to continue toward meeting the Millennium Development Goals, as well as the need to deal with malnutrition, an issue which he has referred to as the “forgotten Millennium Development Goal” [4].

The final stop on the tour was in Mozambique. While Mr. Zoellick praised the country for its accomplishments – as it boasts one of the highest economic take-off rates in Sub-Saharan Africa – he also stated that continued reforms in governance are necessary if the country wants to fully reap the benefits of new economic investments. He met with many different officials to discuss current issues such as malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and infrastructure development projects. Mr. Zoellick also discussed the new Country Partnership Strategy for 2008, which addresses the need for accountability in government and equal access to services [5].

During this tour, Mr. Zoellick met with government officials, local leaders and citizens of rural and urban communities. The IIJD recognizes that it is imperative to have this kind of coalition working for social change. Lending institutions such as the World Bank Group can only be successful in their development projects if their funding backs community oriented programs. It is likewise necessary for citizens to have a say in what needs to be done for their country to improve their every day lives, and the World Bank Group is clearly taking the initiative to work with the populous in order to establish lasting and effective development projects.

However, it must be recognized that until certain root problems are addressed in these countries, such efforts are little more than futile. Citizens cannot possibly have a meaningful say in their future as long they live in an oppressive political, civil, educational and cultural environment. The consensus today is that the institutions of governance and poor leadership in Africa are the root causes of the continent’s underdevelopment and persistent poverty. Leaders use weak institutions, bad laws, and corrupt policies to trap their citizens in poverty and to prevent them from initiating action to dismantle the systemic barriers that paralyze the ingenuity of the people. It is absolutely imperative that systemic reforms are first made in these countries so that development efforts are not wasted on systems that can not support them.

The IIJD considers the development of an independent judiciary and access to a free and fair justice system to be among the most important factors in advancing democracy, protecting human rights, and assuring sustainable development. Only through the reform of these systems can we combat corruption, demand accountability, secure investments, and create an incentive for educated and capable citizens to stay and contribute to their countries' futures. If the World Bank Group wants its assistance to make the most impact, it must ensure that it is first aimed at addressing the root causes of poverty and underdevelopment in these countries, namely, investing in institutional reforms that establish strong and independent justice systems, and methods of separation of power between the Executive, legislative and judicial branches. Strengthening or establishing institutions that can support democratic governance and guarantee free and fair elections for smooth and peaceful transition of power should be among its broad mission. Unless an environment is established that can guarantee Africa’s development, the World Bank’s funds will contribute only to perpetuating the continent’s debt.

Similarly, while IIJD commends the World Bank Group’s focus on the improvement of living standards in Africa, and is pleased that Mr. Zoellick is addressing pressing issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and malnutrition, we would like to reinforce our stance that the path to political freedom and economic stability is in establishing lasting programs for the transition or continued path to democracy and justice. Focusing solely on the Millennium Development Goals as a means to this end is not, however, going to guarantee success. It is important that struggling countries be given the appropriate support and resources to ensure a just political system, because corruption does not only provoke political turmoil but also holds the entire country back from achieving its full economic potential. The IIJD strongly believes that in order for lasting economic change to be achieved, institutions that ensure justice, transparency and accountability must be established and well protected. Only with changes that ensure long-term stability and progress can the status of life in Sub-Saharan Africa improve immensely. On his tour, Mr. Zoellick expressed his desire to understand ways to support Mauritania’s development agenda as well as to form an effective strategy for Ethiopia’s economic take-off. If the World Bank Group wants to see such developments in the future, it is going to have to first address the underlying reasons for their failure in the past.

[1] World Bank: “World Bank President to Visit Africa”

2.  World Bank: “World Bank President Visits Mauritania”

3. World Bank “World Bank President Ends Two-Day Visit to Liberia”

4. World Bank: “Remarks at the African Union Summit”