James D. Wolfensohn, 10 years as President of the World Bank/Operation Confidence

James D. Wolfensohn, 10 years as President of the World Bank/Operation Confidence 

“Let us move forward to fight poverty, to establish equity, and assure peace for the next generation.”

James D. Wolfensohn made sustainable poverty reduction the World Bank Group’s overarching mission during his presidency, which ran from June 1, 1995 to May 31, 2005. Mr. Wolfensohn was the third president in Bank history to be reappointed for a second five-year term by the Board of Executive Directors.

During 10 years as President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn focused the spotlight back on the institution's true purpose — fighting global poverty and helping the world's poor forge better lives. Under his leadership, the World Bank implemented a range of significant reforms to help achieve its mission, and broke ground in several major areas including corruption, debt relief, disabilities, the environment and gender.

He drew attention to the importance of involving young people and the need to expand the development dialog to include civil society, indigenous peoples, faith-based groups and other non-government stakeholders.

On December 3, 2002, Operation Confidence, a Los Angeles based 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization  who advocates for people with disabilities was invited to attend a World Bank conference on Disability & Development held at their headquarters in Washington D. C. 

 Operation Confidence represented The Los Angeles Department on Disabilities.  

The World Bank Disability & Development department was established in June of 2001. as a  mandate by the United Nation to bring awareness about the 400 million people with disabilities in developing countries who are being segregated from their community and forced to live on the margins of life in need of urgent help from NGO’s and community based organizations, such as, Operation Confidence. 

Former World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn presentation

Washington Post December 3, 2002

In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were born from the Millennium Declaration, which was an unprecedented global consensus to improve the condition of humanity throughout the world. Today the MDG’s are seen as the centerpiece of the development agenda. Notwithstanding the breadth and the scope of the MDGs, persons with disabilities continue to experience inequalities that are closely intertwined to all the development challenges linked to the MDGs. Disability remains as both a cause and consequence of poverty. Reaching the Millennium Development Goals is unlikely to be achieved unless the rights and needs of persons with disabilities are considered in the process of development.

It was after the conference that Consuella Mackey, Excutive Director Operation Confidence had the pleasure of meeting and networking with Mr. Wolfensohn and found him to be a kind and wonderful gentleman who was truly compassionate about the well-being of people with disabilities all over the world.   

On May 31, 2005, at the end of his second term, Mr. Wolfensohn left office and assumed the post of Special Envoy for Gaza Disengagement.