While responding to a senior Asian diplomat's question at his Singapore lecture today, Zoellick underlined the need for Americans to qualify for positions as head of the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation, the International Monetary Fund and other regional development banks, albeit in exchange for the World Bank presidency.
He said there has never been an American head of the UN, the WTO, the IMF, and of regional development banks.
"If the US is not going to head the World Bank, that is fine, but then I should go and run the IMF."
"So we open up to others. If it is open for all, I would presume that the American would qualify (for positions to head the other organisations)," Zoellick said.
"From the US perspective, I think it is good for the US to have some of its nationals run some of these organisations," he said.
"Since my purpose is to keep the US engaged in the world system, please don't disqualify the US from this system," he said, adding that the whole system of qualifying multilateral organisations should be changed to be on merit basis than nationality and allow the Americans to qualify for these positions.
He called for a change in governance of international institutions where the Americans should qualify for the top post. But he also pointed out political influence in appointments in other global organisations, leaving out some of the best candidates.
The question on allowing non-American to lead the World Bank on merit basis than nationality was raised by Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, a senior research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies and former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.
Chowdhury noted massive changes under Zoellick's presidency in the World Bank, including increase in number of women employees but sought his views on the possibility of having a non-American to head the global funding group.
