* Emerging nations to nominate a Nigerian and Colombian
* U.S. hold on World Bank never contested before
* Washington said it will nominate U.S. candidate by Friday
(Adds details on Okonjo-Iweala nomination)
By Lesley Wroughton
WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) – Nigerian Finance Minister
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Colombian Finance Minister Jose
Antonio Ocampo are set to make the first concerted challenge to
the U.S. grip on the top job at the World Bank, according to
sources.
The two globally respected economists and diplomats will be
nominated for the World Bank presidency by South Africa and
Brazil, the sources with knowledge of emerging market efforts to
find candidates said.
But with the bank’s largest voting share and the expected
support of most developed nations, the United States is still
likely to ensure that another American succeeds Robert Zoellick,
who plans to step down when his term expires at the end of June.
Washington has held the presidency since the bank’s founding
after World War Two, while a European has always led its sister
organization, the International Monetary Fund. The United States
has yet to publicly identify a nominee to succeed Zoellick.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, and the Obama
administration has said it will name a candidate by then.
Continued…
