World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

For immediate release: 21 October 2004


IMF and World Bank heads at WCC headquarters



World Bank (WB) president James D. Wolfensohn and International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing director Agustín Carstens will join WCC general secretary Samuel Kobia and WCC president from Africa, Agnes Abuom for a high-level encounter between the three organizations to take place on 22 October, 2004 in Geneva's Ecumenical Centre.

The encounter, which is culminating a series initiated in February 2003, will take the form of a panel roundtable, moderated by Cornelio Sommaruga, former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, with further discussion with participants. Members of the three organizations and invited guests from social movements and ecumenical organizations will participate in the encounter. A statement on future common action, highlighting areas of common ground and areas of continued difference amongst the organizations, will be presented after the encounter.

Media representatives are invited to attend the panel, and will also be able to ask questions during a press conference scheduled at the end of the encounter (see detailed programme below - accreditation required).

The issues to be discussed at the encounter are: poverty eradication, human rights and social justice, voice and vote of developing countries in WB and IMF, and ways to put the partnership among the three organizations to work.

Encounter programme

14:30-15:00
Welcoming remarks, by Cornelio Sommaruga
Why the encounters with Breton Woods institutions? by Samuel Kobia
Poverty eradication: an issue of justice and human rights, by Agnes Abuom

15:00-15:30
Primary focus on alliance and partnership for poverty eradication
and human rights issues, by James D. Wolfensohn

15:30-16:00
Role of IMF in poverty eradication, and progress with Poverty Reduction Strategy
Papers (PRSP); governance of Breton Woods institutions, by Agustín Carstens

16:00-17:00
Dialogue and exchange among leaders and other participants

17:00-17:30
Coffee break

17:30-17:50
Summary and identification of key issues, by Cornelio Sommaruga

17:50-18:00
Presentation of a joint statement and conclusion

18:00-18:30
Press conference

Press accreditation in advance is unavoidable for security reasons. Please contact the WCC Media Relations office by Friday 12:00 (contact details below).

For more information on the series of encounters see past WCC press releases at:
www.wcc-coe.org > press corner > WCC encounters with IMF & World Bank


Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.