We are all quite used to the most unlikely characters finally coming good. We are more used to this in the UK where a minister who has exoressed the most obnoxious views comes under the influence of civil servants and comes out with some very liberal policies. Now it looks like Paul Wolfowitz has “gone native” as it is called here but has a rather old fashinoned connotation with him.
For the past week Wolfie has been travelling Africa in his new role as chief of the World Bank. He is starting to make statements that stongly support a new deal for the continent and go directly against Bush’s policies.
It looks very much like Wolfovitz has een persuaded by the Plan for Africa commissioned by Blair and due to be discussed at the G8 next month. In this statement he also looks as though he recognises the previous problems of the conditions attached to loans and aid so that things like forced privisations of utilities will not be as prevalent. The told the BBC at the end of his trip:
“I hope I can push the Bank staff to look at the mistakes of the past so that we don’t repeat them,”
It is also reported that earlier in the trip he criticised farm subsidies in the west, including cotton subsidies in the US, that distort world trade against the interests of third world growers.
His apparent signing up to many of the policies promoted by “Live 8” and Blair, he is contrary to Bush who has not been persuaded to make the increases in direct aid that form a one leg of the package of debt reduction, increaded aid and fair trade.
If he follows through on this in future dealing at the World Bank, we may have to be rather knder to him than his previous record deserves.