58149 How Best Can Cities Grow? by Alfred Imhoff The Three Hats of Jorunn Maehlum BANK'SWORLD Vol 121No. 5 May 1993 In this issue Articles The Three Hats oflomnn Maehlum. An Executive Director speaks her mind ....... .......... .................... ........ ........ 3 A Village in Tigray. Our Resident Representative in Ethiopia teams up with the Save the Children Fund by Abhay Deshpande .... ....... 6 How Best Can Cities Grow? The new Vice Presidency for Environmentally Sustainable Development is designed in part to help cities in the developing world face complex urban problems by Alfred F. Imhoff.............. ... .. .. ... ................. ..... ...................... ............. 12 Recording History. The Bank Historical Office will make sure the past contributes to the future by Jochen Kraske .. .......................................... 18 DejJllrtlllellts On the Record. Armeane Choksi on the challenge of poverty reduction ..... .. ................... 9 Staff Association. Space ...... .............................. .. .................................. .. 17 Around the Bank ............................................... .................... .. ...... ..... ..... 20 Staff Changes .......... ... ..... ....... ................ ........ ........ ....... ............ ..... ......... 22 AnswerLine ........... ... ............... .. .... ....................... ... ............................ .... 24 A mural by a street artist on Santiago, Chile's main avenue, the Alameda. Such popular portrayal of concern with air pollution helps create the political will to do something about it. Photo by John Dixon The Bank's World is published monthly in Washington, D.C., by the Information and Public Affairs Division of the World Bank for all employees and retirees of the World Bank Group, 1818 H Street, ~.W., Room T-8049 , Washington , D.C. 20433. Thierry Sagnier, Editor and Publisher Jill Roessner, Associate Editor Morallina Fanwar-George, Editorial Assis tant Beni Chibber-Rao, Designer 2 The Bank at a Crossroads The Three Hats ofJorunn Maehlum L ast month, Bank's World spoke JM: I think the with Jorunn Maehlum, Executive Board works reason­ Director representing Denmark, ably well. And really, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, recognizing that we're Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden, recruited from the on the various challenges facing entire world, that our the Bank Group. Here are highlights professional back­ from this conversation: grounds are very Bank's World: First, let's talk a different, it's amazing little bit about your background. that we almost always Jorunn Maehlum: I've been reach a consensus. involved with development issues But there's room for for the past 20 years. I was with the improvement. We Ministry of Foreign Affairs in could be more Norway, spent two years in Tanza­ diSCiplined, for one nia, and from 1989 to 1992 served thing. I think we here as Alternate Executive Director should use more time for the Nordic countries. So I think to discuss and decide I have a pretty good perspective on upon Bank policies development assistance. But I'm and spend less rime not an economist, so it might be a Jorunn Maehlum on specific projects- pho tos by Miche le Iannacci different perspective from that of without necessarily some other EDs. But, if anything, I distancing ourselves think different perspectives are haven't become involved with yet. too much from the projects. The what give the Board its strength. The Baltics, for the time being, are Board must concentrate on policy BW: You represent both the focusing on building up a lending setting and leave the implementa­ Nordic countries and, more re­ program. I think it's fair to say that tion issues to management. Eventu­ cently, the Baltics. So for all good my chair, traditionally, works in the ally, we'll get the right balance. purposes, you 're wearing two hats. Board as a bridge builder while This being said, I also think there JM: Three, actually. EDs are trying to forestall bloc building. have already been major improve­ responsible for the conduct of the BW: Let's talk about the Board ments , particularly since the new general operations of the Bank, so for a minute . There are 24 EDs Board procedures became effective that's one aspect of my job. And from different backgrounds, with last fall. then , of course, the two country different objectives ... BW: How are Board/ manage­ groups I represent have different JM: A mini-melting pot. ment relations these days? agendas: the Nordics are donors, BW: Right. And one would JM: There was a period of they deal with policy issues, which think, given this blend, that it might adjustment when the new President the Baltics, as borrowers, really lead to some confusion. came in, and any adjustment has its 3 share of difficulties. But the Bank is can take prove the think have an open ... L •.U>J'J ..... J,,'-J,'­ The Bank has to face the '-U''''U'''~HF,'­ earlier. '-'"",.... BU,,", HHLU,."I'> and a constructive '-<''"H''';''' .... ·~. of the former Soviet .,'-,OJ .... 'u-u,_v see the present relatl~Jn:snlp the Bank to basis for a close ""'".,-r.... "'.." And we need that to address the economic nrr'\nrl'h overall of social conditions as well. These the countries the Bank. If we don't have it, it's in transition as well as with all the aalna.glD,gto and the deal with ~",,,""',~,ro. ....,,, our shareholders is erode. BW: Let's move on to the BW: One of the issues con­ Bank's strategy for the immediate under debate concerns future. BW: Is it? of the sector versus the I think it's fair to say that I don't think Ch;:lOJ~es the Bank at a crossroads when should. UU,'U'>.':UI'> in this '-<,-d''',,''LF, its .... I'>,~u'-'.u. ch"mgmg fast area is toward the center, to be tailor-made and the different schools of t"hf",,"Yhl: are '-..>JHHHF, Eastern and the ,,..,ro·...,a,,,,, to move away from an former Soviet Union. But the ence, reconsider the "traditional" can of market economy overall ,,1- ....'1-orn'" direction of the we've done business in the toward a that also builds Bank is clear: It's poverty reduction. past. There is a clear that on the of and of the that address the Bank's will be over­ some Asian countries. I agree very this issue have been clarified. The !U","UL'U, its staff overstretched. much with what the 1990 World the institution has to about these "",...."1,,....·,"'<:' gap between that we can't every- role of the state. the IJ\JULc'Lv is .rnr\lc'rn,">nf'",t-,t"'.n the state should lean still and strong, the BW: But the issue of poverty can grow with has been at the forefront. Former Presidents market economy with a human Clausen and Conable at one time or to This UUj'''>'',LAI'> another all affirmed should be the basis for the Bank's poverty the Bank's main support to the and the concern. sector. That's true, but the institu- BW: It seems to be that ch;an~~lng. It's different whatever the institution will espouse or five now and in the we're strategy is more to forefront. The way the Bank is '-U'~LA"'LLAJ"" The skills mix into a more focused poverty the and will continue be. institution will That's a normal component of technical skills than those tradition- is .'-LA,' H"UI'> at center stage and associated with Bank. to time. with very cornplex ae'velopme:nt,H the staff to have a broad BW: What about the former issues. So part of the "-H'''''H~_HJ',~ Soviet Union? Will T'lrr""ll',,nrT our realize that you don't turn rtOU""ro. ..",_ UH.Un"",1'> has to be encour­ ment around oven1ig;ht. in the way ....'-"I"''''."''''-''c are no OJ''-'~I-'''''~U, fixes. If anything, there are too BW: But that's only a small part ground-and they think alike. I many high expectations for quick of the solution. believe a better mix from different results. One of our guiding prin­ JM: Of course. The Bank is backgrounds would lead to fresh, ciples should be that even though neither the source nor the savior of innovative approaches. People working closely together with human tragedy in developing supplement each other. borrowers might be more costly countries. It's an important player BW: More women at the and take longer, in the end it will in the arena-more important in Bank. .. secure ownership, and ownership some countries than in others-but JM: Absolutely. The women's is the key to project sustainability it's only one actor on a very perspective should be strength­ and developmental impact. Along crowded stage. Whatever the Bank ened. Women could influence the the same lines, I think we're often does or doesn't do, the main issues focus, the way of managing, seen as imposing our points of responsibility for improving the and maybe also the way we view, as punitive rather than communicate with our borrowers. supportive. My feeling is that we BW: How does it feel being a have to say more about what the woman ED? Bank does in the field, not what it JM: I don't think it's any intends to do. The Bank is very different from being a man ... good at telling the rest of the world BW: Are you satisfied with the what the world should do, but not Bank's Women in Development so adept at telling it what the Bank efforts? does. Somehow, that gap has to be JM: Right now, when the filled. We have to improve the way subject comes up, some men at the we explain the complexities of it Bank start talking about their all, the tremendously difficult issues mothers, their wives, their daugh­ the Bank has to deal with on a ters. The discussion gets side­ daily basis. We're not doing that tracked. We got off to a reasonably the way we should, and the good start in the Conable years and institution's image suffers--espe­ there's been progress, but Women cially in many European countries. in Development is not yet embed­ BW: You'd like to see fewer ded in staff's thinking, and the people at Headquarters and more biggest mistake is that too many in staff in the field, in the Resident the Bank consider it a fad. It isn't. Missions? lives of the poorest in the develop­ It is key to economic and social JM: More people in the field, ing world rests on the countries development. Unless the Bank more people serving in the Mis­ themselves. They have the deciding comes to grips with gender issues, sions, for longer periods of time. In voice in shaping their future. it won't be able to deal with general, more country knowledge, BW: If you had four words to poverty and with the associa~ed more understanding of social, describe the Bank of the future as social issues in any meaningful way. economic and political processes. I you'd like to see it, what would BW: Any final words of advice? believe it's vitally important, for these words be? JM: This institution works example, that managers have field JM: Humility, pragmatism, under the most difficult of circum­ experience. How can they hope to realism, flexibility. stances, with incredibly complex understand borrowing countries' BW: Let's spend a few minutes issues, in a larger number of problems if they haven't spent on the some of staff issues here at countries than ever before. It's a some time in borrowing countries, the Bank. risky business-failures have spoken to the people, seen things JM: The staff here is intellectu­ occurred, and will continue to first-hand? Managers who spend ally first-class, dedicated, hard­ occur. It's important to realize that almost their entire careers at working. My personal experience, adjusting is not a sign of weak­ Headquarters are living and work­ however, is· that the best working ness-it's a sign of strength. So, ing in a glass bubble-and far environment has a reasonable how quickly can we learn from removed from the realities of the balance of women and men-and experience and adapt? How quickly countries they're assigned to deal with. that's not the case at the Bank. can the Bank adjust? That is the test. Also, there are too many staff from the same North American back­ 5 A Village in Tigray by Abhay Deshpande ",...... .J.his is a sample survey," the pilot said. "There are very few roads in these Tigray highlands. If a survey is done by road, it takes too long, and the sample gets biased toward roadside villages. So we use helicopters to get to sampling points randomly generated by computer." Barry C"B.].") Jackson, the helicopter pilot, had to raise his voice above the thudding of the helicopter rotor reverberating off the walls of the narrow gorge rushing by only a few feet away. He deftly followed the twists and turns of the river far below. The navigation computer beeped when we reached our destination, the The villagers of Tigray gather. Photos by Abhay Deshpande preset coordinates of the sampling point. We unloaded our gear and person team, do assigned tasks, There was no sign of habitation waved goodbye to BJ. as he spend a night in a designated there, so we flew in gradually whirled off to pick up another village in a tent, and be generally widening circles around the team. prepared to rough it. sampling point until we saw a We had landed in the village of Gersham is halfway up the village perched on a hill slope. Out Gersham, 8,500 feet up in the steep slope along the rim of a large went a smoke flare to find the wind rugged Tigray highlands of North­ bowl-shaped valley. There are direction and, a few moments later, ern Ethiopia. One of the poorest cultivated fields on the valley floor the skids thumped down in a small parts of this nation, Tigray has been and, in the middle, on a little hill clearing at the edge of the village . struck by famine, devastated by surrounded by a eucalyptus grove, A group of villagers ran up to war. When the .save the Children the local church and monastery of welcome us, and Semerab Berhei, Fund offered to arrange for me to Abba Kristos. Tall craggy peaks are our survey team leader, handed spend a couple of days with one of all round. It was very cold and over our letters of introduction their nutrition survey teams, I misty that day, and rather pictur­ from the local district officer. jumped at the chance. Their esque. conditions: There's no room for Yassu Gebremeskel, the third joyriders in the helicopters. I would team member, and I pitched our have to be a member of a three­ tents on a flat spot under a tree, 6 closely watched by curious chil­ stone to roast coffee beans in the The Derg: Literally, "Commit­ dren, while Seme gathered the traditional way. She had the high tee," in the Amharic language of leaders of the village's Peasant forehead, wide eyes, and fine, Ethiopia; Derg was the name of the Association and explained the regular features typical of highland­ dreaded Stalinist regime of Colonel purpose of our visit. He then left ers. I asked how long she had lived Mengistu, who was overthrown in them to discuss the proposal in the hut. Her reply was a surprise: 1991 after a long, brutal guerilla among themselves and decide their one year. She explained, speaking war. The process the woman answer. The leaders, easily identi­ in a quiet, measured way. described in all its stark simplicity fied by the AK-47s some of them "It was the time of the Derg. I and human cost was called carried, talked it over for some time was in a relief camp with my family "villageization." People from the before the chairman of the associa­ during the famine (1985) . The sparsely settled (and difficult to tion, Hagos Abrahei, came over to soldiers came, and put us in an subdue) highlands-who were in a make a welcome speech, assuring aeroplane to take us to Addis state of revolt-were forcibly us that the village would help in Ababa. There they put us in trucks resettled far away in groups which evelY possible way. and we went to Illubabor (in could be controlled. We planned to carry out a Southwestern Ethiopia, about 600 Some of the men joined us and house-to-house survey first, then miles away). We were shown a began to swap famine and war measure the weight and height of piece of land and told to clear the stories. Several had spent years in all children under 10, followed by a forest, build huts and grow our refugee camps in Sudan, my discussion with the village elders to food. We were all highlanders . We previous assignment. Some were complete a lengthy survey ques­ did not know malaria. Many died. actually from the infamous Fau 3 tionnaire. My family also. But I survived. Last camp, the site of much starvation, It began to drizzle, so we took year, I heard the war was over. So I disease and death. Most had simply shelter in the nearest hut, a round walked and rode trucks all the way picked up their pathetic belongings abode of mud and wattle with a back to the village. I was born and walked back through the conical straw roof. The only here. I thought, 'If I have to die, let mountains to their villages after the occu pant, a middle-aged woman, it be in my village.' The association defeated Derg army retreated from made us welcome and interrupted gave me some land, so I can Tigray province in 1989. We got on her chore of grinding barley on a manage." just fine after I told them of my time in Sudan and my visits to the camps. An old man launched into a StOlY, gesticulating for emphasis, speaking rapidly, words running together in the local Tigrinya language. There was no need for translation. One couldn't take the arms waving in circles overh~ad for anything but helicopters, and it was equally easy to visualize the doors opening, troops rushing into the village. His loud takatakatakataka could only mean one thing. The rain soon stopped. We went from house to house noting the number of adults, children under 10, oxen, cows, sheep, area of land, etc. Female-headed households received special attention. There were 17 such households in the village out of 67 and, as one would expect, they were the poorest. Gradually, as we worked our way through the Taking notes for the Save the Children survey. 7 village and observed daily lives, the been seen by either a doctor or starkness of the poverty and health visitor. The only education isolation emerged. received was after Sunday service The village long ago had two in the church of Abba Kristos, three harvests a year. Now, due to soil miles away. erosion, deforestation and reduced Soon it was dark. The village rain, even in a good year only one had no lights at all-at dusk people harvest remained. During the last simply went to sleep. We had a three years, 17 families had aban­ solar-charged photocell lamp, the doned the village because they object of much curiosity. We went could not survive there. Water was to Hagos' hut and sat around fetched from a spring one mile talking to the village elders while from the village, and most small the goat was grilled and devoured children spent half their day with much relish. Seme and Yassu walking to and from the spring. asked questions, explained their The entire village did not have a purpose slowly as I took notes, single cart. Sick or injured people writing the answers only after we had to be carried to the nearest were sure the villagers had fully road, an eight-hour walk away. Left, Semerab Berhei, and Yassu Gebremeskel, understood each question. It was Of the 67 huts in the village, two Ethiopian team members. well past midnight by the time we four had tin roofs, but only two finished. were intact. I was intrigued by the Before dark, we had to finish We zipped up our tents and collapsed tin roof huts and asked the most important part of the were snug in our sleeping bags why the evidently better-off families survey. We set up the weighing when, much to our annoyance, an had abandoned them. Hagos the machine and height board under a unseasonal storm came up and headman answered: "The Derg tree and asked all the mothers to kept us awake with howling wind, helicopters (probably Soviet made fetch their under-10 children for rain and lightning. Our little tents Mig-24 gunships) flew up the measurement. I sat on a rock with a flapped about but held. Packing up gorge, just as you did. When the clipboard to record figures while did not take much time. We sat in people in the village saw them Seme and Yassu got ready to tackle the morning sun sipping thick, coming, they ran into that ravine the kids. We had our hands full. strong coffee, exchanging final over there," he pointed. "One of Each unsuspecting child was taken words of thanks with the villagers the helicopters turned and went from its mother and put in the cold for their hospitality. Mid-morning, after the people, firing its machine sling of the weighing machine. The we heard the unmistakable whine guns. Many were killed. The other child immediately let out a fearful of the helicopter's turbine and helicopter came over the village, howl but Seme somehow called out thudding rotor blades. Waving looked for bigger huts and fired the weight. Then the struggling energetically, we guided BJ. tc? the rockets. After that no one repaired child was held by ankles and clearing and loaded up. As I was anything. The helicopters might shoulders flat against the equally about to dash, crouching under the have come again. Now those cold measuring board so we could spinning rotor to the helicopter, I families are gone." record heights. Patience was noticed Hagos pointing at me and Toward the end of our survey, rewarded with a cake of soap. talking to Seme. Later, I was told I noticed some of the villagers Finally, the child subsided into sobs Hagos had said, "This is the first whispering among themselves. in the arms of its mother, who jirinji (foreigner) ever to visit the They planned to slaughter a goat generally observed all this with her village." and invite us to dinner. When Seme hands over her ears. It took longer The helicopter lifted, turned to heard of thiS, he objected strongly. than one might think to get all the point its nose down and we flew We carried rations to avoid impos­ 48 kids in the village, but we finally off down the gorge. ing on the poor villagers, but it was had a valid sUTVey sample, which no use. It was the first time anyone needed data on at least 25 children. Editor's note: Abhay Deshpande is had bothered to come there to see We found out that not a single the Bank's Resident Representative how things were, and the residents, village child had ever been vacci­ in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. though they could offer only very nated against anything. Several had meager hospitality, were deter­ stunted growth due to inadequate mined to do all they could. food intake. No child had ever 8 Onthe record The Challenge of Poverty Reduction In February, Armeane Choksi, Vice PreSident, Human Resource Develop­ ment and Operations Policy, spoke at the United Nations during a Special Briefing on Poverty Reduction, Growth and Human Development. Here are excerpts: Poverty reduction is now at the top of the World Bank's agenda, where it is bound to remain for the foreseeable future . Poverty reduction is the toughest, primary test that all of us involved in development should be judged by. My comments will concentrate on poverty reduction and the human development sector. But I want to make clear that the Bank's direct efforts to reduce poverty are not limited to human resources. Major direct poverty reduction work is also taking place in other sectors: in agriculture and rural development, water supply and sanitation, and environment, to name three. Human Development: Achievements and Failures Some remarkable improvements have been achieved in respect to human development, yet major problems remain, and in many areas appalling conditions prevail. In Sub-Saharan Africa, in the Middle East and Armeane Choksi North Africa and in Latin America, both the absolute numbers of the poor as well as their relative share in the population has increased. Moreover, the poor also became even poorer in these regions. Today, in Sub-Saharan Africa, one child in six dies before the age of 5. In South Asia , only a third of adult women can read or write. Three million children in the developing countries die each year due to lack of access to clean water. And more than 500,000 women-99 percent of them in developing countries-die each year from maternity-related complications. Although the proportion of the worldwide population living in poverty has fallen slightly since 1985, the absolute number of poor people has risen. This is not, in the Bank's view, acceptable progress. Current estimates indicate that there are about 1.1 billion poor people in developing countries, who live on less than $1 a day (in 1985 prices). By the end of the decade, we may see 1.3 billion poor. This is definitely not progress. The World Bank has been studying the complex, inter-related prob­ lem of poverty for a long time, [but] it is in the World Development Report 1990 that the present approach, based on past experience and recent findings, is best developed. 9 The proposes poverty- social services within an reduction strategy. the strategy recommends that program. Particular attention is put in macroeconomic that food encourage a pattern of economic efficient labor of the The strategy emlpnaSlzes role of economic for poverty reduction. considered social climbed from 5 percent in country has ever reduced poverty in the absence fiscal to 50 percent in fiscal 1990-92. In fiscal 13 out of 32 loans had tranche countries should conditions tied to another five nr"u.r!,::> basic social services for the poor, nfJ,Yl,::>llu ment loans had '-'"'"fJU'-," conditions poverty health care, "..,.r'fYl'lrtl ...... ""'-u,'"''''""'JU, '-",L'" ",,,",-u, but JlL, not tied to tranche releases. not for humane reasons, but to make it Another mechanism for poor pOSSllJle for the poor to increase their share in the fmit u,'-AI'Uv"~H'~U' is funds and social action programs. of economic The also recommends them focus on the and of nrf",\""r1 • ..,,{"f social for the most vulnerable of social services and the poor. intensive works and initiatives. The One institutional support is the ,.....r."T.o:~...t"T Bank has 19 of these programs in 17 assessment, which can be described as both an countries-11 of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. These and poverty. Based on the the programs finance small assessment recommendations for reduc­ a non-government orJ~arllzaUlon, poverty in country. Once it acts ment agency. as basis for collaboration between country officials should countries and the Bank on best way to reduce poverty. The ,,,t- ..Y'O"" .... t- does not have an ov-,... "r',,­ l.e• . - . , . " .... ' " assessment serves to expen­ povel~tv-·re(lu(:tlCm efforts diture and institutional issues that constrain poverty reduction and to recommend for reform. A number of poverty assessments have been instmment-investment lerlGlng-ltne comJ)le'te(], others are process, and address poverty reduction within a fY'\fYlr,rphpnc',up end of fiscal different instmments. In addition to borrowers will have been ,'""pr,<-,{ a number of adiiusltmc~nt 1 ....... ,''-HJ'''F" the Bank still uses traditional '-~J,ut--",-",""""" assessments and others in progress. loans which combine to poverty reduction efforts are the stmctural Operaltl01nS, poverty and sectoral to su pport assessments and economic macroeconomic and sectoral reforms essential country. A both to poverty reduction strategy Anp,,,,,t",r\nc involves beneficiaries at various of and to sustained economic Before "''-'1'-'0,«.,''-''',L, the poor often suffer from economic that stifle Rise of Bank Lelllding for Human De:velolP01teCtt But it is as tme that the poor may be also us now turn to the Bank's ,rI, ... ", 1"" . . the transitional costs of resource The It is often not understood that in the absence ment assistance of macroeconomic the effects of inflation ago been overshadowed fall most on the poor. This is what napPleneG in more traditional Bank sectors, such as ,nh"lC!· ..... in Pem a few years when the government energy, and V'''''''JU''''''''''''', and followed. The poor Human rlD·"alron•.-Y">'' ' .... 1" ,,,,,,""u,t:;, were hurt most, as real wages fell more than 50 second half the which were first financed in the to components nnrrH1C>f1 for direct .~,.~ ..."", programs, include measures to The Bank's 1987 marked most vulnerable from declines in '-V,"V'''LL'tJ'A.''~'' for the Bank's involvement in human 10 development. It created special divisions for human World Bank lending for AIDS control was part of a resource development which generated a steady, rapid Zimbabwe Family Health Project in 1987. Support from growth of the sector, both in terms of volume of the Bank has been used to shore up the foundations of lending and number of projects, as well as analysis and health systems on which AIDS programs were built, research. Current investment lending for human and in filling gaps. resource development has quintupled since the early The first Bank free-standing AIDS project was an 1980s, [while] over the past two decades, the bulk of $8.1 million credit to Zaire in 1989, followed recently lending for human resource development has been for by a project in India. Bank lending for AIDS preven­ education, which tripled between fiscal 1981-83 and tion and control now totals more than $200 million in fiscal 1990-92. Average annual lending is now almost 40 projects. The Bank is currently preparing projects $2 billion a year, and supports broad-based education for the control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) reforms and development strategies. and AIDS in other major countries. Recent operations have promoted policies to Lessons Learned improve quality. They have helped build national Many lessons have taken long to emerge, and thus capacities to assess and monitor learning outcomes, to to learn, but we now know better how to focus on the reduce poverty and gender inequalities, to improve promising and the possible. The first lesson, I repeat, is linkages between training and labor-market demands to put in place macroeconomic stabilization and and to develop national science and technology adjustment poliCies that will contribute to growth. capacity. The second lesson is to select poliCies and pro­ The Bank has made a special effort to integrate grams that combine strong growth prospects with Women in Development in all the social sectors­ poverty reduction strategies. For instance, within the education, family planning, health, nutrition and education and health sectors, the top priority invest­ beyond, such as in infrastructure, agriculture and rural ments should be in the most basic social services, such development, and access to credit. For the past two as primary education, primary health care, nutrition years, about 40 percent of approved projects have and safe water supply, rather than in universities and contained significant women in development recom­ urban hospitals which mostly benefit people who are mendations, compared to 11 percent in fiscal 1988. not poor. Access to the most basic services should be Nutrition operations have multiplied eighteen-fold targeted to the most vulnerable groups of the popula­ since 1987: from $50 million in total project costs for tion, such as women, children and indigenous groups. fiscal 1987-89 to $900 million in fiscal 1990-92. Not Countries that have made progress in the social included in these amounts are nutrition components in sectors adopted many of the following five principles structural and sectoral adjustment projects or food-for­ of social sector reforms. One, the government targeted work operations. The World Bank currently assists subsidies to the poorest groups, not to the entire governments with nutrition-related projects in 53 low­ population. Two, normal services were provided by and middle-income countries. municipalities and the private sector-including NGOs, Within three years after health lending was ap­ which are closer to the beneficiaries than the central proved, the Bank became the largest lender for government. Three, financing for social services -was developing country health projects. Health is the fastest based on services provided rather on on historic growing area of Bank lending: Bank lending for health budget allocations. Four, subsidies were given directly has tripled since fiscal 1986, and in fiscal 1991, lending to the beneficiaries rather than to the providers of amounted to more than $1.5 billion. Bank funding for services, and were in the form of direct up-front population, health and nutrition is projected to rise to subsidies. Finally, the public sector undertook only $2.5 billion in fiscal 1995. socially profitable activities as well as those no private­ The main thrust of health projects approved during sector party is able or likely to provide. fiscal 1992 is the provision of primary health care Conclusion services to those most in need: largely the poor, [There must be] more coordination on poverty­ women of child-bearing age and children under the reduction efforts, within the U.N. system, with donors, age of five. with the regional development banks and with non­ Preventing the tragedy of maternal death is the' government organizations. Poverty-reduction is a goal of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, which the unifying theme for the entire development community. World Bank staunchly supports and sponsors, along The closer we work together by making best use of with other agencies and non-government organiza­ our comparative strengths, the more the poor will tions. benefit. As a sign of the times, I would like to highlight what the Bank is doing to prevent and control AIDS. 11 How Best Can Cities Grow? by Alfred F. Imhoff Ar you cannot breathe. Water working on a community-based staff maintain their economic you cannot drink. Open drains. environmental study that could lead perspective. "We economists can Garbage festering in doorways. to a project to assist 100 medium­ look at the tradeoffs and bring to These are obvious problems faced sized Mexican cities. the analysis of these issues a sense by any explosively growing city of "Now, " she says, "I feel the of cost-effectiveness," she points the developing world. But the environmental issues I'm dealing out. By applying cost-benefit tools urban environmental dysfunctions with are very close to people, and and macroeconomic principles, she that underlie these problems may that you can really affect their lives believes the Bank can assist people be hidden, for the city has complex and attack poverty by making in Mexico's medium-sized cities to systems analogous to those of any improvements in the environ­ discover ways to provide incentives other living organism. ment-for example, providing for urban public agencies, firms To better work with these sanitation to low-income groups." and the population to "internalize systems, the Bank has a new Vice The experiences of city residents the costs of pollution." As they do Presidency for Environmentally may lead the study team to recom­ this , they become more willing to Sustainable Development (ESDVP), mend a project that stresses com­ develop in ways that do not harm which is made up of the depart­ munity participation in attacking the environment. ments concerned with agriculture water pollution and waste disposal, Beyond Christmas Trees and natural resources, the environ­ as well as poor sanitation. The question of how people ment, and transport, water, and But Ms. Rosenthal and her and institutions become willing to urban development. As operational colleagues have found that political act in environmentally sustainable departments and the ESDVP assist fragmentation-the separate ways leads to the question of the city residents to tackle their prob­ governments of the many towns role of politics in city development. lems, people throughout the Bank and cities that make up one For Braz Menezes, principal urban are discovering that urban environ­ metropolitan area-often blocks an planner in LAlIN , the political will mental development has many efficient attack. She cites the to change is a primary question. facets. example of two adjacent cities both His recent work in Brazil, and Community-Based on the same polluted river-but in especially in Rio de Janeiro, has Macroeconomics different states. The study is taught the need for political savvy, Violeta Rosenthal, an econo­ expected to identify ways to timing, and pragmatic arrange­ mist in LA2C1 , began to pay strengthen local environmental ments. "We go in just before an attention to the day-to-day realities councils to bri9ge such gaps. The administration is leaving. We meet of local communities as she grew Bank's sectoral framework can lead the incoming officials, discuss with up in El Salvador. "My original to still more fragmentation . "We them what the project's all about, motivation to study economics was could get more effectiveness if we and then give them enough time to poverty. I come from an underde­ had all our interventions coordi­ think about the project and to veloped country. I grew up con­ nated ," she notes. make sure it meets with their fronting very strong income dispari­ While paying attention to these priorities, with a very clear signal ties. " She is one of the people community and political realities, that if it doesn't there's no prob­ Ms. Rosenthal and the other study 12 lem"-it's still early enough was found where people to change it. Then they go least expected-like com­ back three months later and munity housing compo­ touch base again. nents-that really built up This kind of project some kind of locally based development, attuned to institution." political as well as environ­ Mr. Choi learned urban mental realities, is something planning by working on Mr. Menezes has learned in a large projects such as an an career that began with urban expansion that private architectural and contained the future Olym­ urban planning work in his pics site and a science and native Kenya. When, for technology city in his native example, he designed the Republic of Korea. After temporary, and then perma­ reflecting on this experience nent, headquarters of the with the aid of a fellowship United Nations Environment that allowed him to study in Organic charcoal recovered from organic waste in the Philippines. Programme in Nairobi, and An MEIP-ManilalWorld Bank-supported study on resource recovery the U.S., and working as a other projects including prepares for this NGO-Balikatan private sector entrepreneur pilot consultant in several , project in the Metro Manila Municipality. game-viewing lodges in Photos by Stephen Stern countries, he came to the Kenya's national parks, the Bank and has been involved use of solar energy, recycling of This multiple-project approach in designing nontraditional ways to waste material and respect for the raises the specter of the dreaded help manage cities in India and indigenous environment were "Christmas tree": a multisectoral China. In Tianjin, with 8 million always given priority. "Well­ cluster of projects linked incoher­ people China's third-largest city, the selected materials, appropriate ently just because they can all be Bank is assisting the municipal technology and landscaping in a funded and are in the same region, government to devise such flexible way that conserved the environ­ resembling a holiday tree hung mechanisms as a line of credit for ment, such as excavation sites with so many ornaments that it is pollution control projects that are transformed into fish ponds, and on the verge of toppling. "My finacially attractive to the polluting waste soil into hilly gardens, are vision is that you can't really do firms. One loan has been extended the thin end of the use, reuse, sustainable development without to a firm that manufactures plastic recycle approach," he says. looking across sectors," says Mr. sheets to enable it to reclaim an In Rio, work began with Menezes. "That's fundamental. We expensive, highly toxic lubricating emergency flood reconstruction have to find a more efficient way of oil-helping both the environment and resettlement but addressed a doing this, or we'll continue to be and the bottom line. Instead of an broad range of environmental criticized for Christmas trees. We ornament on a tree, this kind bf concerns, from reforestation to sometimes create those Christmas loan is placed in a carefully inte­ waste treatment and civil defense, trees by having inconsistencies in grated sectoral and economic and a follow-up rail rehabilitation our policies." context with a focus on improving project. "I think we're influencing Beyond Learning by Doing the municipal government's system the way its citizens and leaders Songsu Choi, senior urban of planning and managing infra­ look at Rio," he says. There are the planner and architect in EA2EH, structure and environment. beginnings of coherent links among also is concerned that the criticism More Responsive Economic projects in the various sectors: "At of multisectoral projects, but feels Analysis the moment, for example, we're that, in some circumstances, they The search for such opportuni­ putting a lot of money into macro offer effective means of institutional ties to apply economic analysis drainage and solid waste, but also development, a key to more effectively engages John some investment into thinking sustainability. Some of the past Dixon, an economist in LATEN ahead. Unless there is some Christmas tree projects may have who left his native United States minimal investment in other been unsuccessful because people and lived in Asia much of his life. structural infrastructure to allow were not sure what works and In his experience, Bank staff can cities to look beyond one project at what doesn't, and the Bank was learn to listen attentively to city a time, we're not making that much "learning by doing." Ironically, Mr. residents for their perceptions of progress." Choi points out, "for all those the crucial environmental problems, components that worked, success 13 and then can respond by using realities. As for equity, Mr. Dixon The vehicle for this process is the analysis to assist the city in decid­ notes that while, for instance, air Environment Management Strategy ing which problems must be pollution tends to affect rich and and Action Plans which each city attacked first. poor city dwellers alike , the rich prepares." "What's really exciting," he can buy bottled water to avoid a With this natural context says, "is that we're actually apply­ questionable municipal water articulated, building institutions ing some of the basic techniques supply that the poor must rely on. becomes the primary work of the and tools we have developed in the As for politicS, Mr. Dixon has MEIP. Stephen Stern, a U.S. national past. I'm a strong believer that what observed how political will is who is the program's communica­ is not needed is new theory or new mobilized when a dramatic incident tions consultant, has applied his tools, but what is needed are more spurs urban public health mea­ background in the theatre as well applications of what is known. sures. Santiago, Chile, for instance, as in foreign affairs to promote When you go to a city with many responded to the South American innovative ways to get city dwellers problems and limited data, how do cholera epidemic by dealing with and leaders communicating. These you decide what to do first? It's the use of polluted irrigation water involve everything from high-level easy to sit in the office and write for crops, and then institutionaliz­ policy committees to ecology very abstract articles for the jour­ ing the new methods even after the camps for schoolchildren. nals. It's another thing to sit there danger had lessened. The program has been very with the presidente of the munici­ Conununities, Institutions, successful in Colombo, Sri Lanka, pality and talk about problems he's and Intercountry Inspiration which Mr. Williams says "wants to faCing, and try to propose some­ The formation of such an become a little dragon." As resi­ thing that's feasible and realistic." institutional base to achieve envi­ dents of a relatively mid-sized city, Mr. Dixon thus has a strong ronmentally sustainable city growth its citizens are motivated by the sense of just what the Bank's is a main aspect of the Metropolitan hope it can maintain its phYSical analytical power is best applied to: Environmental Improvement and economic attractiveness while a carefully understood local reality. Programme (MEIP) directed by it grows . A key feature was the What Bank staff call the field could David Williams of ASTEN, an establishment of an intersectoral better be seen as the center of architect and urban planner origi­ policy committee assisted by a development. In the "field," he nally from Wales. His mandate in national MEIP program coordinator. recalls, "you're surrounded by setting up the program, which is This arrangement has helped in urban problems even if you're not funded by the United Nations setting priorities, intersectoral studying them speCifically as part of Development Programme, was to coordination and interaction and your job. For e~ample, there's the "provide a particular environmental gUidance of donors. Another problem of drainage in Jakarta: focus of urban development which important feature of MEIP is garbage gets thrown in the canals, was not being done." For its five networking at city and intercountry and when the rains are especially participating cities-Beijing, levels. The MEIP "environmental hard and heavy, the canals can't Bombay, Colombo, Jakarta, and networks" allow communities, carry the water fast enough and the Manila-the MEIP "looks at the industries and civic groups to city floods. Once there was 1.5 relation between the natural interact with government officials meters of water in my office. resources in the metropolitan area through workshops and to develop "I was very fortunate," he and the questions of city effiCiency innovative approaches through continues, "that I was able to live in and how it impacts on the poor. So local-level demonstration projects a rural village for five years and instead of starting with a sectoral and intercountry cooperation. As a then in major capitals for a number approach-that is to say, we're result of MEIP intercountry work­ of years, [the perspective] is one going to do a water supply or a shops, for example, Mr. Stern notes you can't capture in a two-week sewerage project-we look at air that Colombo has adapted lessons visit staying at the Sheraton. It quality, water quality, flooding and a model from Beijing and helps you understand what it issues, land management, and so Bombay to help create its Clean Air means to be poor, what it means to on, as an approach to environmen­ 2000 Action Plan-"a whole array live in a polluted environment, tal improvement because the costs of practical monitoring programs what it means not to have electric­ of this degradation in metropolitan aimed at reducing emissions, ity or water." areas is really significant. Out of the directly based on this kind of Such understanding makes problems of natural resource intercountry inspiration." Now possible a fuller economic analysis degradation we then try to see Bombay, Jakarta, Manila, and an that includes equity and political what are the priorities [for sectors]. additional city, Kathmandu, are 14 using Colombo's lessons to plan the policy effort and reinforces it." recognizes cities' varying resources, their own air quality management It all goes back to the initial degree of awareness of problems, strategies carried out through environmental analysis that enabled and level of political commitment. MEIP's urban initiatives. the institutions to set priorities. The assessment process Mr. Williams brings the effort Toward an Institutional consists of providing complete back to the seemingly uninspiring Memory information about a city's environ­ realities of institutions-and The MEIP is a successful ment and heavily involving the Christmas trees: "Investment regional example of a global effort public in setting priorities for projects don't all have to have a being systematically facilitated by action. "The first stage," Mr. Christmas tree [structure] to support the environment component of the Leitmann sums up, "is gathering intersectoral activity. The main Urban Management Programme, information, the second stage is to thing is that the Bank should be the which is jOintly sponsored by the analyze and describe what's going one to encourage the priority Bank (in TWURD) , the U.N. Centre on, and the third stage is to bring setting, the intersectoral planning, for Human Settlements, and the in the public and air the issues." the linkage with the private sector U.N. Development Programme. This discussion of the issues and other groups in society, and This program is developing meth- culminates in an environmental "town meeting" that enables all citizens to tell their views of what priorities should be directly to the city's leaders. "We're trying," Mr. Leitmann says, to apply a more sophisticated set of criteria to understand the problems, to prioritize them, and to evaluate the solutions to them that people value. The criteria span economic, sociological, and envi­ ronmental concerns"-including whether a problem disproportion­ ately affects the poor, whether it harms the economy, whether it unsustainably consumes resources, whether it affects people's health, whether it might have irreversible consequences, and whether there is a constituency that's going to demand that it be solved. Applying An Indonesian delegate to an intercountry workshop on the urban environment joins a Sri Lankan girl in planting a tree. these criteria is the first part of a process that leads to the formula­ then say, 'Fine, we want to support ods, a body of knowledge, and a tion of a strategy and action plan. that; we'll help where we can with skilled staff that together are Local Structural Adjustment funding or technical assistance to beginning to constitute a true A practical, operational adapta­ continue that; we'll maintain our "institutional memory." The tion of the Rapid Urban Environ­ dialogue with the group that has program's resources have been mental Assessment is being done in been set up to do this. And then used by all the people mentioned Dakar, Senegal. Robert Maurer, a with you we will select subsectoral in this article. [Also see Bank's French native who has lived and components which the Bank can World, Feb. 1992] worked in Africa and now is a fund on its conventional project Josef Leitmann, a U.S. urban municipal finance specialist in path.'" planner with a background in AF5IN, describes a city with "more "The key thing," he maintains, natural resource management and and more people swelling its 1.5 "is for Bank staff to interact with all political science (and service in the million population," and "less and the country- and city-based institu­ U.S. Peace Corps), and his col­ less money available due to tions like the policy committees so leagues in the program have adjustment, internal problems, slow that when they come to project devised a straightforward Rapid growth, and so on." development, it's consistent with Urban Environmental Assessment. This assessment is flexible in that it 15 To meet this crisis, he and his urban growth. To center develop­ nongovernmental organizations, the colleagues are "implementing ment assistance in the field. To private sector, and academics. This smaller projects through an autono­ encourage cities to muster more framework is "pretty uncommon," mous agency" within a streamlined, political will. To promote the Mr. Leitmann says. "One reason is efficient framework that will allow formation of institutions that because people don't often think in "the possibility of going very incarnate this will, grounded in these terms. Maybe it's too daunt­ qUickly from the identification of principles of equity and efficiency. ing, maybe it's too complicated to the project to physical implementa­ To build links to overcome the arrange, maybe the government tion. We are focusing on small spatial, socioeconomic, political, isn't interested"-and maybe it investments, such as maintenance sectoral, and temporal fragmenta­ simply takes too long. The tests of before new building [so] we can tion of the exploding metropolis . this kind of effort, he points out, use local construction firms and To find ways to communicate more are whether the country uses the also as much as possible a low­ effectively the lessons of their work results of the review and whether it skilled labor force" instead of big among Bank staff. applies the approach to future firms based in industrial countries. The common theme here is efforts. So the local economy will get much context. The natural world and the A similar effort has now been more benefit. The projects will start human political institutions of the initiated within the Bank itself. at literally ground level: cleaning city form a highly complex context. Thematic teams established in the out the drainage network. This The Bank's comparative advantage Vice Presidency for Environmen­ project approach is being replicated could be to apply its analytical tally Sustainable Development in five other Senegalese cities in power to assist a city to understand assess the demand from the collaboration with TWURD's Urban its particular context. This analysis operating regions and organize Management Programme. could in turn enable citizens to find su pport for projects by mobilizing Mr. Maurer sees two main their own contextually appropriate skills from the Vice Presidency's challenges for those doing this kind answers to their unique problems three departments. Says K.c. of work. One is to promote local of how best to develop. Sivaramakrishnan, the coordinator efficiency-and thus encourage and "Context is important," Mr. of the team on urban environment, test local political will-by setting Leitmann explains, "because we "We don't yet know what sustain­ local structural adjustment as a don't want to and can't apply a able urban development is. The criterion for Bank assistance. The cookie-cutter approach." By thematic team is an opportunity to other is to give Bank staff more putting context first, urban environ­ work with task managers and time for what might appear to be mental development may indeed regional operations staff and assess "unproductive" face-to-face talks become more field-based. One needs in the field in order to help among themselves about what they example is the wayan urban sector formulate an environmental have learned in their urban experi­ review is being done in a West management strategy." ence, and also--ideally-a chance African country. Mr. Sivaramakrishnan, an Indian to live in the countries they work "Normally, when the Bank national long involved in Calqltta's with. "I have no time to go through does a sector review," Mr. Leitmann development who, until recently, these interesting documents," he says, "we parachute in our staff and headed the country's Ministry of notes, pointing to all-too-familiar consultants, who run around, talk Urban Development, feels the stacks on his desk. Documents are to a lot of people, get a lot of pursuit of a City-based urban of course needed, but conversa­ information, and come back and environment management strategy tions among staff who really know write their review. It was decided is as much a challenge to the Bank developing countries could more for the first time in the urban sector as it is to the borrower. "We keep efficiently spread nuts-and-bolts in Africa not to do it that way and exhorting our borrowers, the knowiedge. to ask the minister 'What are your agenCies and the key people in the Inklings of Challenges priorities?' and 'How might local countries and regions we work on Conversations with a small staff work on these priorities to to 'get their act together.' The sample of the many people in the come up witli. a sector review that's thematic team is a test to see Bank working toward environmen­ from the country and not the whether we in the Bank can get tally sustainable urban development Bank?'" and keep our act together." give only inklings of their chal­ Now there are interministerial lenges: To pay attention to the working groups with participation Editor's note: Alfred Imhoff is an • natural world as the setting for from neighborhood leaders, Editor in the Office of the Publisher. 16 Space by David Delmonte) Chairman, Staff Association K ey decisions are being made in less one notices it. The best plans accused of grabbing the best space the next few months about floor promote effective work by permit­ for their managers and themselves. plans for the New Main Complex ting a smooth workflow and a Openness and transparency will (NMC) . Many staff have questions comfortable work environment. help avoid this and give affected about their workspaces. The NMC The lesser plans actually inhibit staff a sense of ownership of the will fit more staff onto the block work-often because their design new space. than ever before and there will be serves other criteria, such as Space needs should be a more inside and below-grade occu pancy goals or status enhance­ function of work group organiza­ offices than in the old complex. ment. Since NMC space planning is tion and workflow. While this may Consequently, there's concerns that moving into high gear, here are seem a truism, it is often difficult to though the space and furnishings some guidelines we think should implement because of such unac­ are new, the NMC may reduce be applied. knowledged assumptions as the workspace quality. Each department and division relationship between space and We believe the Bank should should designate Space Coordina­ status. first observe international work­ tors. These will serve only as long Office/workstation space plans place standards on issues such as as the need persists. They should for secretaries, administrative environment, access to natural light be familiar with the work and assistants, and staff in grades 18 to and service, then national stan­ priorities of the unit and collaborate 20 should be governed by need and dards, and lastly industry standards. with managers in gathering flexibility. Space needs for these Only where there are no standards workforce statistics and projections staff must take into account the should the Bank establish its own. as well as communicate with staff evolving and increasingly complex Second, workplace standards at large about the various stages of nature of their jobs. Needs for should be Bankwide. We do not the process. rTF should work with consultants and other non-regular have different sets of Personnel the units through the Space Coordi­ staff should be factored in as well. policies for staff in old versus new nators to provide technical advice Providing for common space buildings. We should not accept and assistance during the planning should be given high priority. multiple workplace standards and actual move into the new Windowed open areas ("com­ depending on the age of the facility. space, and follow up with help and mons") provide a central focus and Third, affected staff at all levels support in the new space. The SA identity for the work unit while need to be involved early and often. and rTF are jointly preparing a offering access to natural light Three years of SA involvement workplace planning guide to (see below). have resulted in a model workplace provide units with detailed assis­ From any office or workstation, representing a minimum set of t.ance. These are our basic thoughts staffshould be able to tell whether it acceptable standards. You may visit on what components space plan­ is night or day, overcast or sunny, it on E-8. ning should include: raining or snowing . Access to Space planning shares some Workplace planning procedures attributes with other kinds of and results should be transparent to design: the better the design, the all. Space coordinators could be Continued on page 23 17 Recording History Bank Historical Office Created by Jochen Kraske In the past several weeks I have exposure to the educational value Maintaining a continuing been asked: "What will you be of corporate historians' work. The historical record will serve a doing as the head of the World IMF first appointed a historian number of distinct needs. It will be Bank Group's Historical Office?" some 30 years ago who, over the of value to economic historians, for "How is your work related to the years , has produced a series of the history of the past half century Brookings history project now volumes, covering the origins of the cannot be told without reference to under way?" "Are you going to Fund through 1978. A history of the the work of the World Bank Group. write a history of the Bank Group?" decade 1979-1989 is now being The record will help lay the basis And there have been suggestions prepared. The UNDP appointed a for ongoing assessments of the about what I should do: Write historian recently to prepare a Bank's contribution to its members. something about the "perpetual" historical account of its evolution, a The constituencies on whose reorganizations of the Bank. Do move no doubt inspired by the support the Bank depends want it something about preserving the impending 50th anniversary of the to help them judge how effectively vanishing "institutional memory." United Nations. the institution has served the Help us record particular episodes purposes intended. In of policy and action before we this sense, the historical forget what happened. record represents an act Whether the Bank Grou p of accountability. The should undertak~ to record its record of the Bank's history on a continuing basis experience is also of (rather than only on big anniversa­ interest to policy-makers , ries at 25-year intervals) has been development practitio­ considered from time to time. Most ners and academic recently, the issue came up when communities in both the writing of the 50-year history of developing and ad­ the Bank was discussed and vanced countries, who eventually entrusted to the look to it to throw light Brookings Institution. Last year the on what was done, and decision was taken to start a whether it worked, thus Historical Office. Why? helping-they hope-to A growing number of institu­ avoid errors of the past. tions around the world have in­ More immediately, house historians whose offices historical records will were established not primarily for help preserve "the public relations or promotional institutional memory," purposes but for historical and thus avoiding the waste operational value . A recent televi­ of resources and time Jochen Kraske sion program on oil gave good needed to search out 18 backgrounds or, lacking them, record often reflects the desire to Important policy or action repeating what was done in the gloss over disagreements and papers sometimes start with a past as though it had never hap­ serious questions, or the desire to history of relevant issues and how pened. These important consider­ sell or to excuse. An additional, the Bank Group dealt with them. ations provide the rationale for the vital source of information is the This is typically true of legal Bank Group's operations evaluation views and the perceptions of those opinions, but is not always enough program, extensive publications who participated in the decision­ to establish an adequate historical activity and for much of the work making process. We can learn perspective; and, in the absence of of the ED!. The Historical Office much about what happened and an active sense of what was done, will help provide the "run-ups" to why by asking those involved poliCies are sometimes adopted or ha ppenings and developments, and when a loan was identified and actions taken as though they are thus enhance understanding of the appraised, a crucial policy decision new, oblivious to their having been Bank's work. taken, a particular contract previously pursued and what the For all those involved or awarded. results were. Without the history, interested in the Bank's experience, An effective oral history new staff in particular may be evolution and operations, the program can address the problem missing an important component of Historical Office will establish and of this gap by recording, before "institutional culture"-of under­ maintain an authoritative, ongoing time dilutes or erases them, the standing what the Bank is and how record of events and developments. memories of Executive Directors, it got there. That record will, of course, be borrowers, managers and staff, who The Historical Office can necessarily incomplete and subject participated in key events and encourage in staff a sense of history to the interpretation of those who developments in the Bank Group's which will throw light on the story read it. Nevertheless, it will repre­ evolution. The Bank arranged for behind issues and problems. In fact, sent a recognized objective base of some such interviews in 1961 and the development of that historical information. has sporadically done more since sense in staff will be more important A partial record of the Bank's then. The Historical Office can than the Historical Office itself. activities is captured by the stagger­ develop and manage a systematic This is a tall order, not a one­ ing volume of written material we oral history program. Catching and man job. Indeed, for me, both the generate in the course of our work. questioning key participants in challenge and the problems are Records management and preserva­ important decisions before time intensified by the fact I am not a tion are thus vital to establishing takes its toll will do much to fill in historian and must try to acquire the Bank's experience and main­ the record. Not that memories some of the basic tools of the trade. taining its continuity. The Historical recorded (no matter whose) are I expect to have the assistance and Office can help the archivist and always reliable. They, too, need participation of profeSSionals. More records managers to distinguish checking and confirmation. importantly, I shall have the benefit between what is of passing interest The size and complexity of the of experienced profeSSional advice and what may be of lasting value. Bank Group enhance the need for in launching the Historical Office, Decisions reached today about in-house historical work. Every from a senior professor at the Johns what is worth preserving do not reorganization and "fine-tuning" Hopkins University. I have already necessarily answer the questions stresses the need for communica­ learned from him that writing that tomorrow's new interests will tion. Increasing compartmentaliza­ history is less a matter of technique raise. The index of the Bank's 25­ tion makes it even more difficult for in gathering and evaluating evi­ year history, for instance, contains staff to know what is going on in dence of the past, than it is a way no reference to women and only other regions or complexes, even of thinking in confronting impor­ three to ecology/environment, with when matters of mutual concern tant issues. I suspect that the about one sentence in each case. are involved. effectiveness of the Historical Office Even though our work pro­ With the passage of time, and will depend less on its printed cesses are largely designed around as older staff retire, there has been product than in sensitizing staff to documentation, there is much that a loss of institutional memory . It is the uses of the past in dealing with remains unrecorded. Decisions easy, today, to be unaware of what contemporary and prospective taken, especially those regarding happened yesterday on important problems. poliCies, are not always fully issues. Staff often learn of the past, reflected in the files. The volumi­ if they learn it at all, aCCidentally or Editor's note: jocben Kraske is bead nous paper record may provide no incidentally, in a fragmented of the World Bank Group Historical more than bare facts, and even that fashion, in connection with a Office. particular country, project or sector. 19 Around the Bank WHVS Book Project Honored More than 400 donors sup­ numerous dedicated volunteers. ported the Peace Corps during 1992 Framed letters of thanks from Last year, Mavee Park 's son, Matthew, 3, was the youngest contestant in the Children's Run. and 20 of them were chosen to former President George Bush and Photo by Odin Knudsen receive Partners for Peace awards. former Peace Corps Director Elaine Among them, the World Bank Chao now hang in the Book Fourth Annual World Volunteer Services' Book Project Project's office. which was honored for having sent Perhaps this is a good time to Bank!WETA 8K Family more than 60,000 books for distri­ remind staff who travel that they Run Day bution by the Peace Corps during can provide invaluable assistance the last half of 1992. Over the past by carrying a few books with them. It doesn 't matter whether it's 11 years, the Project has sent nearly Liz Fennell mentions how grateful rain or shine-the run will take a million books to 48 countries in the Book Project is to Bank staff place on May 23. It doesn't matter the developing world. going on mission and spouses on whether you're young or old; a Liz Fennell, current Book points trips who have taken boxes runner, racewalker or wheelchair Project President, notes that their with them. In the past six months, athlete, you're equally welcome to Board believes the honor should be books have been hand-carried to participate. Since it's a family event, Mauritania, Zambia, Sierra the Bank is sponsoring the usual Leone, Liberia, Chile, Belize, Fun Run for those age 10 or Guatemala and Kazakhstan. younger. The important thing is to The Project continues to be there to support WETA-TV's seek donations of books, ongoing educational and outreach especially dictionaries and efforts centered around children books by African authors and families . (such as Achebe and Registration is well under way Soyinka), along with the and you can get a form from the E .. -­ Shakespeare and Dickens classics that appear on schools' lobby at 701 19th Street, N.W., or call Yosef Hadar at Ext. 31791 or required reading lists. Elizabeth Colecraft, Ext. 31806, And don't forget, books either of whom can give you more that are inappropriate for information . It's also possible to sending abroad, may be register courtesy of Racquet & Jog purchased, not only at the at their locations at International annual sale (coming up later Square, 915 19th Street, N.W.; in this year), but every Monday Georgetown at 3225 M Street, N.W.; and Wednesday between in Bethesda, MD at 4959 Elm Street; Liz Fennell holding the Partners for Peace award. Photo by Michele iannacci. courtesy of the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the or in Rockville, MD at WBVS Newslener. Book Project Office, 1211-P Parklawn Drive. N-BI-I05. Paperbacks cost 50 Starting time is 8:30 a.m., or shared with all Bank staff and cents apiece and it's a good place 8:45 a.m. for the Fun Run for kids. spouses who have supported the to donate those you've finished Water will be available on the Project since its inception. A special with, too. There's a drop-off box course, and there's street parking debt of gratitude is owed to the outside the door, so you can leave throughout the area. The race starts three former Book Project presi­ books any time. Funds raised by at 22nd and H Streets, N.W.; a map dents: Babs Knox, Betty Blackwell this Book Project "sideline" help of the course appeared in last and Lou Niemann, along with pay for new dictionaries. JR • month's Bank's World. 20 Letters to the Editor and should read as follows: production companies in the U.S., The simple 286 PC used" ...an San Francisco-based TVTV Inc. in interactive program in C language association with national PBS-TV. " To the Editor: written on the hard drive ... " and Thank you very much for What, I wonder, will happen to the "...was designed to...allow the printing these corrections. display gallery currently housed in trainee to see different viewpoints Betsy Edison, IEN11 • the D-E walkway? The high quality of inspection sites and problem of creative and artistic talent areas along the ditch by clicking at that point on a map window inset, to To the editor: displayed in the photo exhibition housed in the walkway has given get a menu of specific problems to be Thank you for publishing the article me (and, I am sure, many others) solved at that part of the ditch." in the April Bank's World about the enormous pleasure and it is with A closing paragraph should Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund. some misgiving that I notice no read: "Staff also expressed a need In my conversation with mention in the ITF Hotline of for a Bankwide Ad Hoc Committee Victoria Jaycox, the author of the March 31 of what is to become of of interested staff to develop article, I neglected to stress the the display area as the walkway is strategy and policy to concentrate important relationship between the reconfigured. Please, please, please and direct the now disparate MMMF and World Bank Volunteer continue to display these wonderful attempts by staff to use information Services (WBVS). This was a photographs. video systems in project work. serious oversight that I hasten to It has often occurred to me that The concept is that each region ... address in this note . the production of a calendar or a would send a staff member to serve The MMMF is an integral part book containing a selection of on such a committee that would of World Bank Volunteer Services. these photographs would be a hopefully be chaired by an inter­ The founders of the MMMF were great fundraiser. Has this idea ever ested regional director or vice among the early members of been considered? president who could connect the WBVS, and the Executive Commit­ jennifer Manley, PSCCB Committee to the Board. The tee of WBVS has given support to committee's mandate? Devise an the MMMF through the years. Editor's Note: Don 't worry; we 're on-going strategy for the Bank to WBVS houses the MMMF in its new told there will be room for the best develop and disseminate cost­ office complex and is the principal display in the n ew walkway. Also, effective use of interactive informa­ source of volunteers for the Selec­ the idea of a calendar has been tion systems that are already tion Committee. WBVS provides the discussed and may eventually popping up in college bookstores MMMF with invaluable staff help, • materialize. at reasonable prices and advertised including computer assistance by local computer stores in popular during the peak period of the computer magazines around the applicant selection process. The To the Editor: International Arts and Crafts Fair world." I was very pleased to see the The writer ID should have read: and the Spring Raffle depend on beautiful layout for my story about "Betsy Edison works in the Tele­ the support of WBVS volunteers Interactive Video in your April communications and and office staff. The MMMF could issue. The photograph told the Informatics Division of the Industry not do its work without the help of story. However, some sentences and Energy Department of FPDVP , the WBVS , and the Fund is a and the closing paragraphs, as well and from 1970-74 worked with one source of pride to WBVS. as the writer identification may be of the first hand-held videotape Harriet BaldWin, Chair, MMMF misleading because printed in error, Selection Committee • I WtwT "'fa;.. 10 KNOIoJ WI-\EN I GIVE ~f'LE .sct1r:ffilN(;. :so 'D:~:)A...)' i LL:C:K. "ID HE I)1AI I ~LLi 'BEl..\e.lE 'TO DO / I LEJ>.\IE. n\EM AL!l"l E ILl 61VE "'fO'..) A L..OT CF ALL "B'>' YOLl~L'F IN EMR)~HBJT: AND LET \HE}1 'I:o \T. S~ · 1/ ~)n ) ~1 /~~ ji~~ 21 Alain Colliou Sebastian Edwards French Chilean Chief, Population and Human Chief Economist, Office of the Resources Operations, Country Regional Vice PreSident, Latin Department I, Latin America America and the Caribbean and the Caribbean Region, Region, effective AprilS. effective May 3. Robin L. Glantz James A. Hanson American American Manager, Oil and Gas Lead Economist, East Asia & Division, IFC's Oil, Gas Pacific , Country Department and Mining Department, III, effective June l. effective May 1. Veronique Lavorel Oey Astra Meesook Michel Wormser French Thai French Director, Investment Manager, Poverty Analysis and Chief, Private Sector Develop­ Department, effective March. Policy, Education and Social ment and Economics Division, Policy Department, Africa Technical Department, effective April l. effective May 10. 22 John S. Beale Susan M. Gisler Margarita Lannon United States United States United States Environmental Spec'/IFCl4 / 5 Staff AsstlPMD/ 4/ 5 Language Staff Asst./LA4/ 3129 Misha Belkindas Douglas I. Graham Hedi Larbi Stateless United Kingdom Tunisia Sr. StatisticianlEC3/3/ 29 Sr. Financial Analyst/MN2/ 4/ 1 Transport Plannerl AFI14/ 1 Diane Bouvet Carolyn L. Graves Caroline S. Levenson United States United States United States Office Asst ./LA4/ 4/ 5 Staff Asst./LOA/3129 Asst. to the DirectoriCSH/4/ 1 Andrew T. Broomhead Patricia Gross Azeb Melaku United Kingdom Mexico Ethiopia Investment Ofcr./IFCl3129 Language Staff Asst ./LA2/ 4/I2 Language Staff Asst.!IFCl3/ 1 Navaid Burney Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen Natalia Moncada United States Denmark Colombia Investment Ofcr./IFC/ 3122 Science & Tech. Spec'/EMT/4/ 5 Staff AsstlAF6/4/ I2 Victoria C. Choy Gregory T. Jedrejczak Jan PakuJski United States Poland Netherlands Attorney ICLED / 3122 Prvt. Sec. Dev. Spec'/EMT/ 4/ 5 Public Info. Ofcr./EXT/4/ I Raymond A. Clamp Lu Kang Thomas A. Phillips United Kingdom China United States Investment Ofcr./IFCl4 / 12 Staff AsstlEA3/ 3/ 29 Operating Engineer/ lTF/3122 Stella David Theodosia Kanniris Nandha K. Ranganathan Philippines Greece Sri Lanka Staff Asst./ESP13122 Staff Asst '/SA2I3129 Prvt. Sec. Dev. Spec ./CFS/4/ 5 Keith Defty IqbalKaur Carla Sarmiento United Kingdom India Peru Info. Systems Spec'/ITF/ 4/I Staff Asst ./MN2/4/5 Staff AsstiOED/ 4/ 5 David J. De Orio Michael Klein Mark Nicholas Van Praag United States Germany United Kingdom Prvt. Sec. Dev. Spec./EMT/ 4/ 5 Mgr. , Prvt. Sector Dev ./FPD/ 3/ I5 Public Info. Ofcr./ENV/ 3122 Michele B. Dizon JungK. Kwak Suzanne Zamora Philippines Korea United States Staff AsstiTRE/ 3122 Staff Asst ./EC3/ 4/ I2 Staff AsstlECI/3122 Maria J.R. Fuller Peru Staff Asst.!IFC/4/5 Fixed-term and regular appOintments Continuedfrom page 17 Staff Association natural light will be problematic in corridors, nor should secretarial to penetrate deeper into the interior the NMC. There is less perimeter workstations be encumbered with of a building); flexibility in provi­ space relative to internal work narrow corridors. The importance sion of artificial light; and enhanced space than there was in the old of effective internal circulation interior design and finishing. buildings. Careful planning, includ­ cannot be over-emphasized. All staffshould have suffiCient ing open areas on the perimeter, is Special efforts need to be made privacy that private meetings, a must. in planningfor below-grade and telephone conversations and work Informal meeting spaces, interior offices. The NMC will have can take place without interrup­ storage, equipment and other more such spaces than did the old tions . multipurpose use areas require buildings. Some ideas for solutions Good spatial organization special attention. Such areas should include: Find staff who prefer the translates into effective work. The be allocated according to unit extra privacy or freedom from workplace becomes friendlier; needs and not just tucked into summer sun such space will better work gets done. A good start whatever space is left over. provide; use and placement of is to let staff be involved in the Corridor width standards must clerestories (outside walls rising planning of their workspace from be firmly followed. There should be no crowding and cluttering of above adjacent roofs and contain­ ing windows to permit natural light 23 the outset. • The purpose of this column is to the stockroom. When such items Secondly, regular staff were answer questions of broad interest are returned, they are inspected to assured they would be placed in concerning the World Bank Group 's determine whether they are reus­ positions, then staff under f"txed­ policies and procedures. Please able and, where possible, are put term contracts and others not include your name and room back into stockroom inventory for classified as regular staff would number so we can send you the redistribution . Obsolete supplies, or be placed. However, here again answer to your question, even if it is those unsuitable for redistribution, a number of f"txed-term staff not selected to appear in the maga­ are set aside until there is a suffi­ have been offered jobs and even zine. Your confidentiality will be cient quantity to be disposed of in assured they would be made protected and your name will not accordance with Bank procedures. permanent, prior to regular staff be submitted to the managerfrom When items have no resale value, being placed. whom the answer is sought. An which is most often the case, they Is all this fair and worthy of anonymous question can be are turned over to the Bank's an international organization of answered only if it is ofsufficiently Community Relations Officer who the stature of the World Bank? It broad interest to be included in the arranges for them to be given to has only succeeded in further magaZine. Send your questions to: charitable organizations. The last lowering the morale of the staff. A nswerLine, Bank's World, time this was done, supplies were Answer: The results of the Rm. T-8044. donated to the National Capital Reorganization tell a vely different Area United Way which, in turn, story. In over 70 percent of cases, distributed them among its agen­ final support staff placements Question: I was in a depart­ cies. From time to time, the Bank represented first preference ment undergoing a reorganiza­ also makes donations of excess matches of both staff members and tion. As part of the physical office equipment and furniture to the managers concerned. This restructuring, staff went through charitable, non-profit and educa­ success rate stemmed in part from the f"tles and decided that many tional organizations. the extent to which staff and were old and no longer of use. Thank you for your concern. managers were able to meet and When I mentioned that I would We will look into ways of making share preferences while the exer­ like to donate used materials to staff more aware of procedures for cise was in progress. In addition, as charity, I was given 10 to 15 returning usable supplies. many support staff as possible were boxes of perfectly good used A1ark Binning, Chief, GSDMM interviewed by selecting managers binders. Had I not spoken up, before final placement decisions' these materials would have been Question: Regarding the were finalized . It would be wrong discarded; many other reusable reorganization at the Bank: to describe this contact between products were thrown away. The f"trstly, staff were specifically support staff and managers as World Bank has "reafftrmed told that lobbying would not be "lobbying" and it definitely did not poverty alleviation as its tolerated and, unlike the 1987 lead to staff obtaining jobs before overarching objective" (Lewis reorganization, this one would the stated deadlines. The ground Preston, Strengthening the be very fair. However, contrary rules were strictly adhered to on Bank's Thematic and Sectoral to these assurances, 99 percent this point. Capabilities.) Wouldn't the of affected staff (particularly On the second point, it was institution set a better example support staff) did lobby and never intended that staff on regular along those lines by channeling thus obtained jobs even prior to appointments would be placed its used materials to struggling the deadline for submitting before staff on fixed-term appoint­ organizations (non-profits, for preferences. This is thoroughly ments. Both groups were included example) if staff cannot bring unfair to all those honest staff in the same exercise and placed themselves to use anything but who actually complied with the simultaneously. john Lavelle, Project brand new supplies? conditions of the reorganiza­ Manager, OSP/ill/DEC Reorganiza­ Answer: As detailed in the tion, namely "no lobbying tion Implementation stockroom catalog, staff are encour­ allowed." aged to return unused supplies to 24