The new President of the World Bank has a background in community health work, not in banking or politics.

On 2 July 2012, Dr Jim Yong Kim took up his new role as President of the World Bank. Dr Kim is a new kind of President for the Bank. He is still – as always – an American, but one whose background is as a doctor and co-founder of a community-based health organization, rather than as a banker or politician. Some GCE members welcomed his appointment (read here), even whilst condemning the undemocratic selection process.

Dr Kim takes over at a time when the Bank has been coming under a new kind of criticism (read here) , not for its politics but for its failure to focus and manage its mission even on its own terms. GCE and a number of members have been in correspondence [latest letter] with the Bank, urging it to meet its own financing pledge for basic education, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and to ensure that it treats funding from the Global Partnership for Education as additional to and not a replacement for World Bank funds.

Dr Kim's first public speech as World Bank President on 19 July did not specifically address education. However, in response to a question by Katie Malouf of GCE member organization Oxfam International, Dr Kim stated that education is "critical" to his stated priority of ensuring inclusive and equitable economic growth.

GCE and regional education networks will be writing to Dr Kim to welcome him and introduce him to GCE priorities; we will keep members informed of opportunities to engage with and influence the Bank.