PETITION REGARDING NEXT IMF BOSS

Dear Reader,
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It’s been hard to miss the news: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is looking for a new boss (as Dominique Strauss-Kahn recently resigned). And they’re planning to fill the position very, very soon.

In the past, this job (along with the top World Bank position) has been a bit of a gentleman's agreement' between Europe and the US—so a European usually gets this top IMF job. But this time let’s make sure the IMF knows that we expect an open and merit-based process that gives everyone a fair shot at the top spot.

Add your name to the petition below:

http://www.one.org/international/actnow/imf/o.pl?id=2346-5244102-MbjOtox&t=3

The petition reads:

Dear IMF Executive Directors,

Please run a fair, transparent and merit-based process while looking for a new head of the IMF so that the best candidate, regardless of nationality, wins this crucial job.

So why is this such a big deal? Because the IMF sets key global economic policies that impact the world’s poorest people (take debt relief, for instance). And way back in 2009, after being pressed by groups like ONE, the IMF agreed that the next head would be selected by an “open, merit-based, and transparent” process—and the US Treasury Secretary said the same. We really hope those words are true. But we’ve seen them swayed by powerful countries in the past—and the world has changed too much for history to repeat itself.

That’s why we’ve started this petition. It’s our way of letting the IMF know that we’ll be watching for an open process and that we can’t limit this search to just 1/7th of the world. As former South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel so aptly said, this is not a time for birthright to be more important than ability. The world—and ultimately lives—could depend on it.

Let’s make sure the person who’s named to the IMF job truly represents all interests—and all corners—of the globe. Sign the petition to the IMF below:

http://www.one.org/international/actnow/imf/o.pl?id=2346-5244102-MbjOtox&t=5

May the best candidate win!

Dr. Sipho S. Moyo
Africa Director, ONE