World Bank Spring Meetings to focus on four issues

Accra, April 23, GNA - The World Bank/ International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings would decide on whether to give developing countries bigg= er say in the institution and review the institution's efforts to raise capi= tal for the first time in over 20 years.

It would also discuss the Bank's post-crisis strategy and assess th= e institution's reform programme to position the Bank Group as a modernized= , multilateral institution. A release from the Bank's Accra Office on Friday said delegates, ci= vil society members and the media from around the world would converge in Washington for the Meetings. The meetings, briefings and lectures would cover topics ranging from=

strategies for post-economic crisis recovery to the first effort in 20 ye= ars to raise capital for the World Bank.

But many continue to wonder what the fallout will be of the eruption= of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland last week--from the effects on countries to disruptions in international air travel. Bank President Robert Zoellick said during a pre-meetings press call-in Monday that the institution is monitoring the effects of the eruption on African countries, especially food exporters that are sufferi= ng declines in exports.

At the same time, Bank and IMF staffs have been working hard on makin= g the meetings happen despite the disruptions, he said. "We have important decisions to be made however we assemble the shareholder representatives.= " Zoellick pointed to $105 billion of financial commitments made by the=

Bank since the full force of the crisis hit in the summer of 2008, which he noted breaks all Bank records. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Dr Kwabna Duffuor would=

lead Ghana's Delegation to Meetings.