PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
Managing Director, The World Bank Group

The speech and Q & A will be in English.

World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is visiting Japan to meet key members of the Hatoyama administration, with a view to scaling up Japan's already substantial partnership with the World Bank Group. Okonjo-Iweala will discuss how the World Bank in Japan could cooperate in assisting developing countries around the world in the wake of the past year's the financial/economic crisis. While the global economy is showing tentative signs of recovery, 43 low-income development countries are still suffering the consequences of recession which, the World Bank says, "highlights the need to increase support to the poorest countries dealing with economic volatility and crisis."

Okonjo-Iweala is a former finance minister and also finance and economy minister of Nigeria. Her achievements as finance minister (from 2003 to 2006) attracted international recognition for improving Nigeria's financial stability and for fostering greater fiscal transparency for combating corruption.

Previously, she had pursued a 21-year career as a development economist at the World Bank, where she held the post of vice president and corporate secretary. She also served as assistant to the Senior Vice President of Operations.

Educated at Harvard and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Okonjo-Iweala is a member or chair of various boards and advisory groups around the world as well as being an advisor to international investment groups.

She will be accompanied to the FCCJ by Obiageli (Oby) Ezekwesili, Vice President, Africa Region, World Bank; Axel van Trotsenburg, Vice President, Concessional Finance and Global Partnerships; and Warren Evans, Sector Director, Environment Department.

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