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Wolfowitz: 皇冠体育app still needs World Bank
(AFP/皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-10 07:03
Despite its booming economy, 皇冠体育app still needs assistance from the World Bank to alleviate widespread poverty, particularly in rural areas, its chief Paul Wolfowitz said.
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz answers questions during a group interview in Tokyo October 9, 2005. [Reuters] |
"There are nearly 200 million people living in extreme poverty in 皇冠体育app in spite of the enormous progress that has been made in the last 20 years," he told reporters in Tokyo on the first stop of a tour of Asia.
World Bank assistance, which currently amounts to about one billion dollars a year, was no longer the largest contributor to 皇冠体育app's development, he noted.
"But it is appropriate, in part because there are still large numbers of people in 皇冠体育app living in poverty. It's our mission to help those people anywhere in the world find opportunities for a better life."
The World Bank president touched down in Japan at the start of a two-week tour that will also take him to 皇冠体育app and Russia ahead of a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers near Beijing.
The World Bank chief said that although 皇冠体育app was still a major recipient of assistance, he hoped that in time Beijing would itself become a significant contributor.
"We're in a process of moving from 皇冠体育app as a major recipient of World Bank assistance to, at some point in the future, probably 皇冠体育app will become a significant donor to the World Bank."
Wolfowitz to visit World Bank projects
During the October 12-18 visit, Wolfowitz will meet Chinese farmers during trips to see some of the bank's poverty-alleviation projects.
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