Brazilian Ilan Goldfein, new president of the Islamic Development Bank | Economie

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Brazil Ilan Goldfein The new president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was elected on Sunday, in the first round of voting, by easily obtaining the necessary votes. Goldfein, 56, won 80.08% of the vote and 17 county governors supported him, two more than needed to make the appointment.

Ilan Goldfein was elected president of the Islamic Development Bank on Sunday at a special meeting of the bank’s board of governors. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Islamic Development Bank in Washington, D.C., and delegates attended virtually or in person. Release.

To achieve appointment, the winning candidate must receive a majority of the voting percentage and the support of at least fifteen of the 28 member states of this multilateral institution for the promotion of development.

Director to date for the Western Hemisphere at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Outwit the remaining three candidatesAfter Argentine candidate Cecilia Todesca Poco withdrew at the last minute, Buenos Aires went ahead to lend its support to the Brazilian candidate. With the support of Goldfajn from Argentina, the United States and Canada, three of the countries that carry the most weight in the bank’s voting shares (the United States, the major shareholder, is accumulating 30%), the appointment progressed more quickly than expected. It was expected in recent days and it was not necessary to go to a second round of voting.

In second place in the race this Sunday was Chilean Nicolas Izaguirre, who received 9.93% of the vote and the support of two governors of the province. Mexican candidate Gerardo Esquivel received 8.21% of the vote and the green light from three provincial governors. Trinidad and Tobago’s candidate, Gerard Johnson, who had the support of the Caribbean island nations, won the endorsement of six provincial governors, but only 1.61% of the vote.

The vote was held on Sunday after the governors of the Islamic Development Bank Last month, the US president until then, Mauricio Claver-Carone, was firedwho was proposed for the position by the Donald Trump administration in 2020 and who the investigation found responsible for an improper relationship with a subordinate who gave him preferential treatment.

The new head of the Islamic Development Bank, who will have an initial five-year term at the helm of the multilateral institution, presents Extensive technical profile and long experience in the public and private financial sector. Born in Haifa (Israel) and educated in Rio de Janeiro and the American Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has chaired the Central Bank of Brazil twice, as President (2016-2019) and Vice President. He was also responsible for Credit Suisse’s operations in Brazil and was chief economist for Itaú Unibanco.

in Interview with El PaisThis week, he emphasized that the bank, as responsible, would act independently rather than act for ideological reasons. He stresses that decisions will be made “on the basis of facts” and data. Their priorities, in that order, will be combating poverty and inequality, including improving food distribution and production; the fight against climate change, which is already beginning to feel dire consequences in the islands of the Caribbean and Central America; And strengthening the physical and digital infrastructure to improve communication between the various countries in the region.

In formally submitting his candidacy on October 24, the Brazilian government highlighted that Goldfajn is a professional who brings “extensive and successful experience in the public sector, in multilateral organizations and in the private sector, as well as a strong academic background.”

Although he was the candidate with the highest technical level and had extensive knowledge of the region, his candidacy caused some controversy in his country. His name was proposed by the outgoing government of Jair Bolsonaro, and members of the transition team of the winner of the country’s presidential elections, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, suggested postponing the selection process at the Islamic Development Bank so that the new administration would be the proposal of the applicant. But the future head of state was comfortable with Goldfajn representing Brazil. “There is no objection,” insisted the former central bank governor.

Goldfajn will be the seventh President of the Islamic Development Bank, taking over the duties of Interim President Reina Irene Mejía Chacón. They previously held this position, in addition to Claver Carone, Luis Alberto Moreno (2005-2020), Enrique Iglesias (1988-2005), Antonio Ortiz Mina (1971-1988) and Felipe Herrera (1960). It is noteworthy that the bank, which was established in 1959, granted nearly $23 billion in development projects last year.