When the head of the IMF = International Monetary Fund, Managing Director Georgiewa, and others were executives of the World Bank, it was alleged that China's ranking in the country ranking, which evaluates the business environment in response to China's intentions, was raised more illegally than it should be. Problems are spreading ripples.
The IMF is also investigating this issue and the results are being watched.
The World Bank announced on the 16th of last month that it will no longer issue the report, saying that the past figures in the report, which ranks the business environment of each country every year, have been tampered with.
When preparing the 2018 report, World Bank then Governor Kim and CEO Georgiewa, who is now the IMF's managing director, were repeatedly complained by senior Chinese government officials that their country was low. That is.
And as a result of pressure on analysts by Georgiewa and others, the report states that China's ranking was illegally raised from its original 85th place to 78th, the same level as the previous year.
As a background, it has been pointed out that China, which is a major contributor, may have been taken into consideration when the World Bank was asking each country to increase its investment.
Mr. Georgiewa has denied fraud by issuing a statement that he "disagrees with the findings," but the IMF has also begun investigating this issue and is hearing from him, and the results are drawing attention.
The IMF and the World Bank will also hold an annual meeting in Washington, USA starting next week on the 11th, and as part of this, Georgiewa is planning a press conference on the 13th, and is also interested in how to address this issue. ..
What is the alleged involvement of Mr. Georgiewa?
Christalina Georgiewa is an economist from Bulgaria who joined the World Bank in 1993 and worked as an economist in the environmental field for 17 years.
After that, after working as an executive of the executive body of the EU = European Union, in 2017, he became the No. 2 CEO of the World Bank.
Two years ago, in 2019, I became the head of the IMF and managing director.
What was the problem this time that Mr. Georgiewa was deeply involved in?
According to a survey by a law firm requested by the World Bank, the data was manipulated in October 2017, when the report was about to be published.
At that time, World Bank executives were repeatedly complained by senior Chinese government officials stationed in the United States that the business environment ranking was too low.
The ranking of the report was emphasized by each country in order to attract foreign investment.
In mid-October, Georgiewa also had a supper with senior Chinese government officials, reminding them that the reforms China was working on would be properly reflected in the report.
However, China fell from the previous year's ranking, and Georgiewa rebuked the investigators at a meeting four days after dinner and instructed them to reissue China's figures.
Officials complained that it was not possible to change only China's numbers, but in the end, after reviewing the data, it was concluded that the next day, China's ranking was raised from the original 85th to 78th, the same level as the previous year. increase.
Some have pointed out that the data published by the World Bank is fraudulent.
Economist Paul Michael Romer, who once served as Chief Economist of the World Bank, pointed out that the data published by the World Bank may have been fraudulently distorted during his tenure.
"The World Bank may be considered to deviate from the standards of integrity that are inherently essential to institutions publishing research data, such as senior management interference and pressure from countries," Romer told NHK. China was also focusing on using multilateral frameworks and soft powers to boost its national interests, and was also trying to use the World Bank. "
Meanwhile, Harry Brodmann, an expert in analyzing the governance and governance of international organizations, points out that it is important to see if the problem has spread to other international organizations.
Mr. Broadman said, "Is there a governance system in place, or is there a safeguard that keeps staff focused on their work? It is imperative to have an independent third party to report issues to the board of directors of the organization. No, "he said.