 Paul Bermingham – after four years as Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine – is taking two years' leave of absence to accompany his spouse who is Bank Country Manager in Morocco. He will continue to remain active in development, but in the meantime shares his experiences at the Bank.
What were the most memorable moments during your assignment as Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine? The Orange Revolution in Ukraine, which took place shortly after I moved to Kyiv in 2004, was perhaps the single most prominent event. But for me, the most memorable part of the last four years was to witness the experience of all three countries in their historical context. All three countries, at one time defined by their common Soviet Union heritage yet with their own distinct identity, are each making their way in a region that witnessed enormous change, and a wider world that is today experiencing change to which all are struggling to adapt. Each country has much to be proud of, even as all agree that much remains to be done. Indeed, I feel that the external criticism to which the countries are subject can be unfair and overdone. To have had the opportunity to work with officials and people in each country was for me an enormous privilege, and an experience I will long treasure. What do you see as the benefits of a decentralized Country Director and a regional office in Ukraine?
The most significant organizational change the Bank made since I joined in the mid-1990s was to strengthen its in-country presence, and in particular to locate Country Directors in or close to client countries. It may not be possible to do so in all circumstances, but it has rightly become the default organizational option. I see greater client responsiveness, improved understanding of country circumstances, and more effective program delivery as the main advantages. How did the Bank's program evolve and how would you evaluate it? The program on which I worked over the past four years had the benefit of the effort and experience of those who had worked on all three countries before, including during what was at times a most difficult period. So the word “evolve” is therefore very much the word I would use to describe how the program changed – adapting what I thought was a good program of engagement when I arrived to changed circumstances in each country. A combination of a favorable external environment and better domestic economic management allowed each country to start realizing some long overdue “good times” whether measured by economic growth, rising living standards, reduced poverty levels, or improved public finances. The rapidity of these changes has in turn changed the nature of the relationship with the Bank. The relationship is today less characterized by financing needs and more by the Bank being a partner capable of packaging and delivering financial and knowledge resources to help each country get where it wants to go.  What were the biggest country program achievements and what were the biggest challenges?
At a time when all three countries have less need for the Bank, at least measured in terms of its financial resources, the Bank has succeeded in remaining a highly valued partner. We have done this by aligning our program more explicitly to the countries' own priorities. What did you learn from colleagues and counterparts at both the personal and professional levels? I could say much about this, but will confine myself to saying “I learned a lot!” I am grateful to all my colleagues and officials in the countries concerned for all that they did to make the last four years such a valuable learning experience. Where would you like to see Ukraine, Belarus , and Moldova in the near future? Ultimately, I would like to see each develop into the society that their respective peoples would want. In the shorter-term, I hope that each can continue to grow and become more integrated into the global economy while profiting by the opportunities that integration will bring. Key to this will be institutions – national, regional, and global. I believe that the Bank can continue to make a valuable contribution in putting these institutions in place. What will you be doing next? I am taking two years leave of absence to be with my wife who is World Bank Country Manager in Morocco (as she did when we moved to Ukraine), during which time I will continue to remain active in development. July 2008 |
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