James Wolfensohn
James Wolfensohn
James David Wolfensohn, KBE, AOis an Australian-American lawyer, investment banker and economist who served as the ninth president of the World Bank Group...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth1 December 1933
CountryAustralia
discussion respect shutting wins
We respect the demonstrators' right to protest, but who wins by shutting down discussion of some of the world's most pressing problems?
collapse facing financial solution unless within
Unless a solution is found, we may be facing the financial collapse of the PA within two weeks.
coming ensure financial looking package pressure relieved together
We are looking to put together a package which will ensure the financial pressure is relieved for the coming period.
needs way poverty
So the first thing you need to do about conflict is to prevent it, and the best way of preventing it is by dealing with the question of poverty.
children peaceful development
I was deeply concerned then, and have become more concerned since, that unless we can deal with the questions of development and the questions of poverty, there's no way that we're going to have a peaceful world for our children.
people today poverty
Too many of the conflicts which are caused today are caused by the problems that emerge from people who are in poverty.
issues poverty firsts
The first thing that you need to deal with is the issue of equity and poverty.
reality village becoming
The notion of the world as a village is becoming a reality.
horse winning outsiders
But when someone is on a winning horse, and everything looks wonderful, it's very hard as an outsider to persuade them something is wrong.
play people looks
As you look at the flow of Muslim fundamentalism, or fundamentalism in various areas and various religions, they all play on the people who have very little.
dream jobs violence
If you have Palestinians who have no hope, who don't have a job, who've used up all their resources, the notion of getting rid of violence is a dream.
politics development ownership
Ownership is a sine qua non of sustainable development.
country thinking talking
Today, you have 20 percent of the world controlling 80 percent of the Gross Domestic Product; you've got a $30 trillion (US) world economy, and $24 trillion of it is in the developed countries... These inequities can't exist. So if you are talking about systemic breakdown, I think you have to look in terms of social breakdown.
power bridges water
Well the specific role of the World Bank is to be ready with financial assistance immediately after this emergency takes place because you need to reconnect water, you need to reconnect power, you need roads, you need bridges, and that has to be done urgently.