The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that her bid for the presidency of the World Bank has broad support.
Okonjo-Iweala also said apart from the fact that she has broad based support, she is equally eminently qualified and remains the candidate to beat.
At a news conference in Abuja, the minister, who has the support of South Africa, Angola and other African countries, said the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has been receiving calls of solidarity for her candidature since she was endorsed by other African countries.
She said: “Several African presidents had called President Goodluck Jonathan to authorise my release and candidature.
“I have met with the leadership of the African Union and ECOWAS as well as the African Ministers of Finance and Economy from the continent.
“We have got a very strong endorsement. Africa is excited about the nomination. They see it as their nomination.
“They see it as something that is of significance to the continent as a whole, which has not happened before.
“This is the nomination of the continent, with various communiqués issued to support the candidacy.
“Our support is broad-based, even beyond Africa and other emerging markets and developing countries.
“This is not just about Africa. Many people feel they need to see a voice and a face from the developing world, who understands emerging market problems.”
Okonjo-Iweala said in a fair and honest competition, she was confident of defeating any other candidate, adding: “Given the opportunity, I will bring unique advantages of knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the institutions as well as one who has managed a complex economy in a developing country.
“My vision for the World Bank is an institution that is swifter and nimbler, in terms of tackling what is considered the singular most difficult problem confronting both developing and emerging market countries today, which is job creation, particularly for youth.
“We need an institution that can deploy those financial instruments and knowledge to tackle problems of both human and physical infrastructure as well as climate change and other cross sectoral issues that confront many countries today as they manage their economies these days.
“It is the World Bank, with all its knowledge, finance and technical assistance instruments than can work on the big problems that developing world confronts.
“This is what I would bring, with practical experience and knowledge, both inside and outside the bank.”