And Then There Was One

Ana Palacio, World Bank General Counsel, announced her resignation yesterday. A key member of former Bank President Paul Wolfowitz’s inner circle, Palacio was dubbed as being part of the ‘Gang of Six’ – the top Wolfowitz backers at the Bank. From the Washington Post:

Former World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz appointed Palacio, who was Spain's foreign minister back when Spain was a member of the Coalition of the Willing, in June 2006. Wolfowitz resigned under pressure a year later after an uprising by bank employees over his management style and his involvement in obtaining a fine post for a pal.

His top aides, Kevin Kellums and Robin Cleveland, left around that time. Suzanne Rich Folsom, who had been at the bank earlier but was promoted by Wolfowitz to be anti-corruption chief, left in January.

Only one member of the ‘Gang’ now remains at the Bank: Juan José Daboub. He is a Managing Director and Wolfowitz-hire that GAP exposed as attempting to remove references and funding for “family planning” in Bank projects, possibly to make health care projects conform to his personal religious beliefs.

-- Dylan Blaylock