Outside the Beltway

New World Bank President Named

Steven L. Taylor · Monday, April 16, 2012 · 3 comments

Via the BBC: US choice Jim Yong Kim is new World Bank chief

US nominee Jim Yong Kim has been chosen as the new president of the World Bank.

The Korean-American health expert is currently the president of Dartmouth University.

[…]

Dr Kim will succeed Robert Zoellick, serving a five-year term beginning on 1 July, the World Bank said in a statement.

Aged 52, Jim Yong Kim is a doctor lauded for his pioneering role in treating HIV/Aids and reducing the impact of tuberculosis in the developing world.

This was the first time the slot was selected through competitive process. Kim was one of three finalists (and then one of two when one of the candidates withdrew).

FILED UNDER: US Politics, World Politics, AIDS, BBC, World Bank

About Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

Stormy Dragon says:

Monday, 16 April 2012 at 15:19

For a second I though they headline was that we were nominating the leader of North Korea, and was like, “WTF?”
Racehorse says:

Monday, 16 April 2012 at 17:20

Just what is this “World Bank”? What does it do? How is the US involved in this?
Steven L. Taylor says:

Monday, 16 April 2012 at 17:37

@Racehorse:

The basic info can be found here: click.

I scanned the Wikipedia page and it looks useful for a basic run-down: click.