World Bank President Visits London, Strasbourg, Brussels and Melbourne

Contacts:

In Washington: Geetanjali Chopra; +1-(202)-473-0243

gchopra@worldbank.org

In London: Derek Warren; +44 (20) 7968-4186

dwarren1@worldbank.org

In Brussels/Strasbourg: Angela Bekkers; +32-(2)-552-0039

abekkers@worldbank.org

In Melbourne: Lester Dally +1-(202) -352 -0363

Ldally@worldbank.org

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WASHINGTON, November 13, 2006. World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz is traveling to the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and Australia from November 13 – 20, 2006, to consult with shareholder governments and stakeholders on the international development agenda.

Beginning in London on November 13, Wolfowitz is meeting with representatives from Civil Society Organizations, parliamentarians, and United Kingdom government officials.

Wolfowitz travels to Strasbourg on November 14 to meet with officials from the European Commission and European Parliament. The meetings will be followed by a roundtable discussion with the European Parliament’s Development Committee and Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid.

On November 15, Wolfowitz will address the first European Development Days in Brussels. Meetings with Didier Reynders, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, and Armand De Decker, Minister of Development Cooperation of Belgium, will be followed by meetings with Civil Society Organizations, Commissioner Michel and Javier Solana, Secretary General, Council of the European Union.

President Wolfowitz arrives in Melbourne on November 17, where he will attend the Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G20, this year hosted and chaired by Australia. International Monetary Fund’s Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato will also participate. Wolfowitz will hold separate meetings with G20 ministers in Melbourne to discuss a range of development issues. He also will have discussions with Peter Costello, Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia, senior Australian government officials, and representatives from Civil Society Organizations to further the existing partnership with Australia in the region.