WASHINGTON, DC, Oct 11 –The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board expects to conclude soon its review of the matters raised by WilmerHale’s investigation of the World Bank’s Doing Business 2018 report.
The Board met again on Sunday after having met with the representatives of WilmerHale, the law firm that was engaged to independently investigate claims of China’s influence at the World Bank, with allegations of pressure on Georgieva Kristalina who was formerly chief executive of World Bank and the then-World Bank President Jim Yong Kim for changes in the Doing Business reports that allegedly raised points for China, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan.
In a press statement Sunday, IMF’s Director of Communications Department Gerry Rice said as part of its ongoing review the Board had also met again with Georgieva who is now IMF Managing Director .
The meeting was to clarify details, he said, adding that the Executive Board had made further significant progress in its assessment with a view to very soon concluding its consideration of the matter.
On Sept 17, Georgieva issued a statement disputing the report on the Investigation into Data Irregularities in Doing Business 2018 and Doing Business 2020.
“I disagree fundamentally with the findings and interpretations of the Investigation of Data Irregularities as it relates to my role in the World Bank’s Doing Business report of 2018. I have already had an initial briefing with the IMF’s Executive Board on this matter.”
Earlier the same day, the World Bank released a statement that it has authorised the release of the report: Data Irregularities in Doing Business 2018 and Doing Business 2020 – Investigation Findings and Report to the Board of Executive Directors,” saying it was an independent external review of the facts and circumstances around previously reported data irregularities in the 2018 and 2020 Doing Business reports.
The World Bank’s ethics committee is said to have called for the independent investigation into the data irregularities.