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Jim Yong Kim, the president of World Bank, meets with Sirpa Paatero, the minister of international development, at the Government Palace, in Helsinki, Finland on Wednesday, February 11 2015. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

Jim Yong Kim, the president of World Bank, meets with Sirpa Paatero, the minister of international development, at the Government Palace, in Helsinki, Finland on Wednesday, February 11 2015. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

Jim Yong Kim, the president of World Bank, is known for seeking solutions to the inequalities of the world.

His famous quote, “I want to eradicate poverty,” pretty much sums up the Korean American’s world view.

On Wednesday, Kim visited Finland to meet the governors and ministers: Antti Rinne, the minister of finance, and Sirpa Paatero, the minister for internal development.

It was Finland’s turn to host the annual meeting where World Bank governors and finance ministers meet together, including ministers from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Finland former developing country

Finland has previously received assistance from the World Bank in the form of loans. As a developing country it needed help for building its infrastructure and industry.

“Finland got to her feet and at the same time the world changed enormously. Despite the challenging economic situation, Finland has a genuine opportunity to influence, for example, measures to combat climate change through such actors as the World Bank,” Paatero said.

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“We for our part must bear responsibility for the world’s balanced development, but at the same time we must ensure that developing countries have the opportunity to take development forward themselves. Sustainable change arises when everyone is involved.”

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Fostering economic equality

According to Rinne, the annual meeting together with the president of the World Bank is an important chance to promote inclusive and job-creating growth and to foster economic equality between women and men. These are strategic priorities important to Finland.

“We are particularly pleased that the reduction of inequality has risen to the centre of the World Bank’s strategy work.”

World Bank president Kim thanked the Nordic and Baltic countries for good partnership.

“The Nordic and Baltic countries are important partners to the World Bank Group. The Nordic countries have considerable expertise from their long-standing engagement in developing countries, and the Baltic countries have gone through an impressive transition since their independence. These countries’ experiences provide invaluable knowledge to development around the world.”

 

Jim Yong Kim. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

Jim Yong Kim. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today

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