MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Zoellick makes the round of World Bank members

Robert Zoellick, US President George W. Bush's choice to run the World Bank, is embarking on a US government-paid global tour to Africa, Europe and Mexico and Brazil in Latin America, as the US seeks to mend relationships strained by the turbulent tenure of the bank's outgoing president.

"I certainly want to leave no stone unturned in showing people that I'm serious in reaching out to hear their perspectives and views. I think it shows courtesy and respect,'' Zoellick, currently a vice chairman at Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, told reporters Monday. ''My immediate goal is simple: I want to listen and to learn,'' Zoellick said. Bush last week tapped Zoellick to succeed Paul Wolfowitz, who will step down on June 30. The selection of Zoellick must be approved by the World Bank's 24-member board. ''I want to try as quickly as I can to reach out to both developing countries and developed countries and get their sense of priorities, issues in the broader development agenda, questions related to the World Bank and get their input and, I hope, their support,'' Zoellick said. If his nomination is approved by the board, ''it's going to be critically important to be able to work with countries around the globe developed and developing as well as to sort of build the interest and rapport with the staff,'' he added. Wolfowitz said he would resign after a special bank panel found that he broke bank rules in arranging a hefty pay raise for Shaha Riza, his girlfriend and a bank employee. Wolfowitz departure will end a stormy two-year tenure that courted controversy from the start because of his role in the Iraq war as deputy defense secretary. Zoellick, 53, served as Bush's former trade representative and was the No. 2 official at the State Department before he left to take a job on Wall Street last year. The bank's board has said it would accept other nominations from the bank's executive directors until June 15. Zoellick said he has had a chance to meet with most, but not all, of the bank's executive directors. Zoellick first stop will be Ghana followed by Ethiopia and South Africa. ''I wanted to start in Africa,'' he said. ''Too many Africans and others around the world struggle with weak governance, corruption, inadequate schools and health programs, poor infrastructure, environmental programs and restrains on economic freedom and property rights that inhibit strong, sustainable growth,'' he said. ''The World Bank can help.'' From there, he will travel to Britain, France, Brussels and Germany. In Germany, Zoellick will meet with among others, the country's Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. She was highly critical of Wolfowitz but has called Zoellick a good candidate for the World Bank post. After that, Zoellick heads to Norway, followed by Mexico and then makes his last stop in Brazil.