Kerry not interested in World Bank

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

U.S. Senator John Kerry. AFP Photo

U.S. Senator John Kerry has not been asked to lead the World Bank and is not interested in the job, his spokeswoman said on March 8 after his name was said to be on a White House short list.

“Senator Kerry hasn’t been contacted by the administration about the World Bank vacancy,” said Jodi Seth in an emailed statement.

“While he has great respect for the institution and its role in the world, he’s not interested in the position.”

Kerry’s name was one of three the administration of President Barack Obama is weighing to nominate for the presidency of the global development lender, according to a person close to the Bank and numerous media reports.

The other two were U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, and former treasury secretary and Obama economic adviser Larry Summers.

Last month the current World Bank president, former US diplomat Robert Zoellick, announced plans to step down at the end of his five-year term in June.

While any of the Bank’s members can nominate someone for the presidency, since it was founded the U.S. choice has always gotten the job.