wfn.org | WCC NEWS: IMF & World Bank heads at WCC - NEW PROGRAMME

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153   +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org 
For immediate release - 21/10/2004

IMF AND WORLD BANK HEADS AT WCC HEADQUARTERS  
[ UPDATED PROGRAMME - SEE BELOW ]

World Bank (WB) president James D. Wolfensohn and International Monetary
Fund (IMF) deputy managing director Agustmn Carstens will join WCC general
secretary Samuel Kobia and WCC president from Africa, Agnes Abuom for a
high-level encounter between the three organizations to take place on 22
October, 2004 in Geneva's Ecumenical Centre.

The encounter, which is culminating a series initiated in February 2003,
will take the form of a panel roundtable, moderated by Cornelio Sommaruga,
former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, with
further discussion with participants. Members of the three organizations
and invited guests from social movements and ecumenical organizations will
participate in the encounter. A statement on future common action,
highlighting areas of common ground and areas of continued difference
amongst the organizations, will be presented after the encounter.

Media representatives are invited to attend the panel, and will also be
able to ask questions during a press conference scheduled at the end of the
encounter (see detailed programme below - accreditation required).

The issues to be discussed at the encounter are: poverty eradication, human
rights and social justice, voice and vote of developing countries in WB and
IMF, and ways to put the partnership among the three organizations to work.

Encounter programme

14:30-15:00
     Welcoming remarks, by Cornelio Sommaruga
     Why the encounters with Breton Woods institutions? by Samuel Kobia
     Poverty eradication: an issue of justice and human rights, by Agnes
Abuom

15:00-15:30
     Primary focus on alliance and partnership for poverty eradication
     and human rights issues, by James D. Wolfensohn

15:30-16:00
     Role of IMF in poverty eradication, and progress with Poverty
Reduction Strategy
     Papers (PRSP); governance of Breton Woods institutions, by Agustmn
Carstens

16:00-16:30
     Dialogue and exchange among leaders and other participants
     (questions primarily for Mr. Wolfensohn, who leaves during the coffee
break)

16:30-16:45
     Coffee break

16:45-17:40
     Resume and continue dialogue and exchange among leaders and
participants

17:40-17:50
     Summary and identification of key issues, by Cornelio Sommaruga

17:50-18:00
     Presentation of a joint statement and conclusion

18:00-18:30
     Press conference

Press accreditation in advance is unavoidable for security reasons. Please
contact the WCC Media Relations office by Friday 12:00 (contact details
below).

For more information on the series of encounters see past WCC press
releases at:
www.wcc-coe.org > press corner > WCC encounters with IMF & World Bank

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153  +41 79 507 6363
	 media@wcc-coe.org 

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in more
than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.