World Bank disclosure policy and inspection panel : hearing before the Subcommittee on International Development, Finance, Trade, and Monetary Policy of the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, second session, June 21, 1994

United States. Congress. House. Committee On Banking Finance And Urban Affairs. Subcommittee On International Development Finance Trade And Monetary Policy

Sujets

• Management
• World Bank

Informations

• Publié par: les_archives_du_savoir
• Nombre de lectures: 19
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 10 Mo

Extrait

lvT and In...Bank DisclosureUorld Policy THEPORE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TEADEINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, AND MONETARY POLICY OP THE FINANCE ANDONCOMMITTEE BANKING, URBAN AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THIRD CONGRESSONE HUNDRED SECOND SESSION JUNE 199421, on Finance and Urban AffairsPrinted for the use of the Committee Banking, Serial No. 103-146 m J 4m U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 80-543CC WASHINGTON : 1995 For sale the U.S. Government OfficePrintingby of Sales Office, DC 20402Documents, Washington,Superintendent Congressional ISBN 0-16-047277-6 ^ BANK DISCLOSUREPOUCYWORLD PANELAND INSPECTION=^^=^=^— 4. B 22/1:103-146 ^-tvllNvTand In...•Id Bank Disclosure Policjj ^""ORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL TRADEDEVELOPMENT, FINANCE, AND MONETARY POLICY OF THE COMMITTEE ANDON FINANCEBANKING, URBAN AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS SECOND SESSION JUNE 199421, Printed for the use of the Committee on Finance and Urban AffairsBanking, Serial No. 103-146 AUG / 4 mn ;rSrt-»-jo,^ . U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 80-543CC WASraNGTON : 1995 For sale the U.S. Government Officeby Printing of Sales DC 20402Documents, Office,Superintendent Congressional Washington, ISBN 0-16-047277-6 HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND URBAN AFFAIRSBAhfKING, HENRY B. ChairmanGONZALEZ, Texas, L. North Carolina JAMES A. IowaSTEPHEN NEAL, LEACH, J. New York BILL FloridaJOHN McCOLLUM,LaFALCE, F." />

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PANELINSPECTIONAND =——=—~
22/1: 103-146Y 4. B
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and In...Bank DisclosureUorld Policy
THEPORE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
TEADEINTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FINANCE,
AND MONETARY POLICY
OP THE
FINANCE ANDONCOMMITTEE BANKING,
URBAN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THIRD CONGRESSONE HUNDRED
SECOND SESSION
JUNE 199421,
on Finance and Urban AffairsPrinted for the use of the Committee Banking,
Serial No. 103-146
m J 4m
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
80-543CC WASHINGTON : 1995
For sale the U.S. Government OfficePrintingby
of Sales Office, DC 20402Documents, Washington,Superintendent Congressional
ISBN 0-16-047277-6^ BANK DISCLOSUREPOUCYWORLD
PANELAND INSPECTION=^^=^=^—
4. B 22/1:103-146
^-tvllNvTand In...•Id Bank Disclosure Policjj
^""ORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL TRADEDEVELOPMENT, FINANCE,
AND MONETARY POLICY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ANDON FINANCEBANKING,
URBAN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
JUNE 199421,
Printed for the use of the Committee on Finance and Urban AffairsBanking,
Serial No. 103-146
AUG / 4 mn
;rSrt-»-jo,^ .
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
80-543CC WASraNGTON : 1995
For sale the U.S. Government Officeby Printing
of Sales DC 20402Documents, Office,Superintendent Congressional Washington,
ISBN 0-16-047277-6HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND URBAN AFFAIRSBAhfKING,
HENRY B. ChairmanGONZALEZ, Texas,
L. North Carolina JAMES A. IowaSTEPHEN NEAL, LEACH,
J. New York BILL FloridaJOHN McCOLLUM,LaFALCE,
F. Minnesota MARGE NewBRUCE VENTO, ROUKEMA, Jersey
CHARLES E. New York DOUG NebraskaBEREUTER,SCHUMER,
BARNEY Massachusetts THOMAS J.FRANK, RIDGE, Pennsylvania
WisconsinPAUL E. TOBYKAN.IORSKI, Pennsylvania ROTH,
A. CaliforniaJOSEPH P. KENNEDY Massachusetts ALFRED (AL)II, McCANDLESS,
FLOYD H. New York RICHARD H. LouisianaFLAKE, BAKER,
IowaKWEISI JIMMFUME, Maryland NUSSLE,
MAXINE California CRAIGWATERS, THOMAS, Wyoming
LARRY Idaho SAM TexasLaROCCO, JOHNSON,
OhioBILL Utah DEBORAHORTON, PRYCE,
Florida JOHNJIM BACCHUS, LINDER, Geoigia
HERBERT C. New JOEKLEIN, Jersey KNOLLENBERG, Michigan
B. New York RICK New YorkCAROLYN MALONEY, LAZIO,
Florida ROD MinnesotaPETER DEUTSCH, GRAMS,
AlabamaLUIS V. Illinois SPENCERGUTIERREZ, BACHUS,
MIKE CaliforniaBOBBY L. IllinoisRUSH, HUFFINGTON,
California MICHAEL DelawareLUCILLE CASTLE,ROYBAI^ALLARD,
YorkTHOMAS M. Wisconsin PETER NewBARRETT, KING,
EUZABETH FURSE, Oregon
VermontNYDIA M. New York BERNARDVELAZQUEZ, SANDERS,
ALBERT R. WYNN, Maryland
CLEO LouisianaFIELDS,
MELVIN North CarolinaWATT,
MAURICE New YorkHINCHEY,
CALVIN M. CaliforniaDOOLEY,
RON KLINK, Pennsylvania
ERIC OhioFINGERHUT,
International Trade andSubcommittee on Development, Finance,
Monetary Poucy
ChairmanBARNEY FRANK, Massachusetts,
Carolina DOUG NebraskaSTEPHEN L. North BEREUTER,NEAL,
A. CaliforniaJOHN J. New York ALFRED (AL)LaFALCE, McCANDLESS,
BILL FloridaJOSEPH P. KENNEDY Massachusetts McCOLLUM,II,
MARGE NewMAXINE CaliforniaWATERS, ROUKEMA, Jersey
LARRY Idaho SAM TexasLaROCCO, JOHNSON,
CaliforniaBILL Utah MICHAELORTON, HUFFINGTON,
New YorkJIM Florida PETERBACCHUS, KING,
LouisianaHENRY B. Texas RICHARD H.GONZALEZ, BAKER,
PAUL E. JIM IowaKANJORSKI, Pennsylvania NUSSLE,
DelawareBOBBY L. IDinois MICHAELRUSH, CASTLE,
CLEO LouisianaFIELDS,
VermontMELVIN North Carolina BERNARDWATT, SANDERS,
ERIC OhioFINGERHUT,
(II)CONTENTS
Page
held on:Hearing
1June 199421,
33
Appendix
WITNESSES
June 1994Tuesday, 21,
Hon. John a in from the State of Ohio .... 3R.,Kasich, Representative Congress
Susan Assistant for InternationalLevine, B., Deputy Secretary Development,
and Environment U.S. ofthe 12Debt, Policy, Department Treasury
International Rivers Network 16Udall, Lori, Washington Director,
Center for Environmental Law 19Zaelke, Durwood, President,
APPENDDC
statements:Prepared
34Hon. JohnRKasich,
38Susan BLevine,
43LoriUdaU, (with attachments)
152DurwoodZaelke, (with
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
Lori:Udall,
"A Citizens' Guide to the World Bank Information Policy," published
179the Bank Information Center (with selected attached)appendicesby
aated JuneComments World Bank memorandumregarding 20, 1994,
World Bankon Disclosure of Factual Technical Information (with
172memorandum attached)
(III)WORLD BANK DISCLOSURE POLICYAND
INSPECTION PANEL
JUNE 1994TUESDAY, 21,
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on International Development,
Trade and MonetaryFinance, Poucy,
Committee on Finance and UrbanBanking, Affairs,
DC.Washington,
The subcommittee to at 10 in roommet, pursuant call, a.m.,
House Office Hon. Frank2128, [chair-Rayburn Building, Barney
man ofthe subcommittee] presiding.
Present: Chairman Frank, Representatives Kennedy, Waters,
and Nussle.Watt, Bereuter, Huffington,
Also present: Representative Wynn.
Chairman Frank, The of the Subcommittee on Inter-hearing
national Trade and willDevelopment, Finance, Monetary Policy
now begin.
This is an on of the efforts ofthe results theoversight hearing
U.S. and others to the World BankTreasury Department persuade
to make that I think are in twochanges, changes important
respects.
are that areFirst, intrinsically, they logical developments impor-
tant to the Bank if it is to its function well.perform
are if we are to maintain within theSecond, they important
and the the for con-country Congress representing country support
tinued for the Bank.appropriations — —I think and I include in this aface realmany people myself
dilemma when we evaluate the Bank.
On the one the work it is now economichand, doing, fostering
in the of the is as asdevelopment poorest parts world, important
that can be done.anything Alleviating poverty, promoting
with the and of abuse and andgrowth, dealing years years neglect—the in which so are condemned to live nomisery many people
human task seems to me more important.
On the other if the Bank and other institutions don'thand, go
about this in the the won't be there. And so weright way, support
have been our totrying very hard, through Treasury Department,
the Bank to make some changes.encourage
I want to be clear. The standard >^ich we measure them hasby
to be a realistic one. One of the with critics in thegreat problems
area is that are not as smart as at thepublic policy they judges
at the when areOlympics. Judges Olympics, they judging gym-
nastics or take into account the of Anddiving, degree difficulty.
critics sometimes do not do that.
(1)When are an institution which is to deal withyou judging trying
inthousands of of a the de-years problems very complex situation,
of of that task has to be taken into account. Whatgree difficulty
the World Bank is is both andundertaking morally importantvery
difficult.very
But that does not mean there are no criticisms at all. And par-
I think when we talk about the kinds of thatticularly, things many
of us have focused we are not for miraculous results. Weon, asking
are for some basic with to in-asking procedural safeguards regard
formation and with to review thatpolicy regard independent ought
to be andsimply easily implemented.
And I there to be on the of the Bank resist-regret appears part
ance to these. I also think that some of the donor countries are
a mistake if think can the Americanmaking they they present peo-
with a either all the and shut or else.ple choice, put up money up,
We find "or else" as the chosen Ialternative. don'tmay tragically
want to see that.
And the effort of this subcommittee is not to make such a choice
but to avoid it to be made. And that is the status in whichhaving
we find ourselves.
I will now the Member.recognize ranking minority
Mr. Bereuter. Thank Mr. Chairman. This is anmuch,you very
on the to date theimportant implementationoversight hearing by
World Bank on reforms that were in andadopted August Septem-
ber to have a much more of disclosure of informa-1993, open policy
tion and to set an Panel.up independent Inspection
I would that one of the difficulties we have in thesay assessing
of the World Bank and to some extent the other multi-progress
lateral banks is the fact that we have an informationdevelopment
The is often of efforts that more than a decadecritiquegap. began
and are their into Reader's and otherago Digestfinally finding way
that like to run comments on the terriblepublications periodically
abuses of the World Bank.
of the difficulties that we have seen in theMany implementation
of the World Bank efforts in been corrected. But othershave, fact,
are there that need to be and I do think that the U.S.addressed,
— —I know this is but I do think theCongress self-congratulatory
U.S. has had more the multi-Congress impact upon reforming
lateral the World thandevelopment Bank,organizations, especially
other on earth. In it has been this subcommittee,any entity fact,
in a effort over the last that has been the driv-bipartisan decade,
force in these that hasreforms. It has been this subcommitteeing
had the So I am that we are thatmajor impact. pleased con