23 May 2011
Dear Governors
Appointment of IMF Managing Director
Because of the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn as IMF Managing Director, we are writing to urge you to push for the selection of the best candidate through an open, merit-based, transparent process, and the public support of the majority of the IMF membership, including developing countries.
As you know, in 2009, the IMFC agreed to “adopt an open, merit-based and transparent process for the selection of IMF management.” This underscored previous commitments by the G20, and, if implemented, would mark a vitally important break with past practice. To ensure the selection of the best candidate with the legitimacy gained from the support of the wider IMF membership, not just a powerful minority of countries, we believe three things are essential.
First, the candidate must gain the open support from at least the majority of IMF member countries, with no single bloc wielding excessive power. The best way to ensure this is for the winner to be required to gain the support of a majority of both voting shares and member countries. This need not require any formal changes to the IMF articles of agreement, but could simply be announced by the IMFC. To make this work, countries would need to vote independently, not through their constituencies, and declare their support publicly. We cannot afford to let traditional back-room deals install a candidate supported by only the richest countries. European countries should state openly that they do not intend to agree upon a single candidate, with each country waiting until after the final nominations are closed before declaring support.
Second, the selection process needs to be significantly strengthened. This should include having a public application procedure open to anyone to apply, and sufficient time to allow proper deliberation, interviews held in public, and open voting procedures.
Third, a clear job description and qualifications should be set out, building on the short version outlined in 2007. The right candidate needs to be – and be seen to be – independent, and able to work with a variety of stakeholders, including civil society groups. Given that developing countries are a majority of IMF members, and where the overwhelming majority of IMF lending and advice has been directed in recent decades, the new MD will need to be well versed in the particular problems of low- and middle-income countries. A focus on the key global economic problems of poverty, growing levels of inequality and joblessness will be essential.
The IMF needs serious and genuine reform. The selection of the new Managing Director is an essential place to start. We trust that you will take a leading role to ensure that promises for reform are honoured.
Yours sincerely
Endorsed by the following:
- 11.11.11
- ActionAid International
- Advocacy International
- Africa Jubilee South
- African Forum on Alternatives
- African Network for Environment and Economic Justice(ANEEJ)
- Afrodad
- Alliance Sud
- Americans for Informed Democracy
- ARCADE
- Associação Moçambicana para o Desenvolvimento e Democracia (AMODE)
- Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)
- Balance
- Bangladesh Development Research Center (BDRC)
- CEE Bankwatch
- Berne Declaration
- Bond
- Bretton Woods Project
- CAFOD
- Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace
- Center for Public Integrity Mozambique
- Centre for Health Policy and Innovation
- Centre for Social Concern
- Changemaker Norway
- China Center for International Development
- Christian Aid
- Church of Sweden
- CIDSE
- Citizens for Global Solutions
- CIVICUS
- CNCD
- Compass
- Congregation of St. Basil
- CRBM
- Daughters of Mumbi Global Resource Center
- Debt and Development Coalition Ireland
- Diakonia
- Donald Sherk
- Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh
- Ethical Markets Media, LLC
- Eurodad
- Feminist Task Force
- Foreign Policy In Focus
- Forum Syd
- Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD)
- Franciscan Action Network
- Friends of the Earth US
- Fundar, Centro de Análisis e Investigación
- Gender Action
- Global Network-Latin America
- Halifax Initiative
- Health Poverty Action
- HOPE-Pk
- Idasa – Economic Governance Programme (EGP)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Análises Sociais e Econômicas (Ibase)
- IBIS
- IBON International
- ILSA – Instituto Latinoamericano por una sociedad y un derecho alternativo
- INHURED International
- INKOTA-netzwerk
- Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC)
- International Institute for Monetary Transformation
- International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)
- ITeM
- James H. Mittelman
- Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
- José Antonio Ocampo
- Jubilee Australia
- Jubilee Debt Campaign
- Jubilee USA Network
- Just Foreign Policy
- KEPA
- Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers
- Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
- Missionary Oblates
- Nabodhara
- National Insurance Academy
- New Economics Foundation
- New Rules for Global Finance
- Norwegian Church Aid
- ONE
- One World Trust
- Oxfam International
- Public Interest Research Centre
- Results UK
- Save the Children UK
- Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth
- Sisters of St Francis of Assisi
- Sisters of St Francis of Philadelphia
- Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield
- SLUG
- Social Justice Committee of Montreal
- Social Watch
- Tax Research LLP
- The Norwegian Forum for Environment and Development
- Third World Network
- Tiri
- Transparency and Accountability Initiative (TAI) Ghana
- Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment
- TWN Africa
- Unnayan Onneshan
- VOICE Bangladesh
- WEED
- World Development Movement
- World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy