October 18, 2004

GENEVA - World Bank (WB) president James D. Wolfensohn and International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing director Agustín Carstens will join WCC general secretary Samuel Kobia and WCC president from Africa, Agnes Abuom for a high-level encounter between the three organizations to take place on 22 October, 2004 in Geneva's Ecumenical Centre.

The encounter, which is culminating a series initiated in February 2003, will take the form of a panel roundtable, moderated by Cornelio Sommaruga, former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, with further discussion with participants. Members of the three organizations and invited guests from social movements and ecumenical organizations will participate in the encounter. A statement on future common action, highlighting areas of common ground and areas of continued difference amongst the organizations, will be presented after the encounter.

The issues to be discussed at the encounter are: poverty eradication, human rights and social justice, voice and vote of developing countries in WB and IMF, and ways to put the partnership among the three organizations to work.

World Council of Churches