SINGAPORE, Sept 15: World Bank President Paul Wolfwitz has agreed that in the past the bank was too full of prescriptions for countries about what they had to do and too inclined to force those prescriptions on recipients of assistance from the bank.

He was responding to a question on Friday at the pre-annual meeting press conference over the threat by the UK to withhold finance from the bank because of its criticism of a failure to address the issue of conditionality. “There is no row as such between the bank and the G7 member United Kingdom,” he added.

"I agree with the view that the approach has to be of helping countries find what works and then embracing programmes that they take ownership of. If the programme is not perceived to be their programme it is bound not to succeed," he observed.

"I understand the concern, I share the concern but I think we are dealing with it," he stressed.

Earlier, Mr Wolfwitz criticised the G7 countries for not keeping their pledge to support the African countries to the extent they should. "I think donors are in danger of falling short on the promise of ‘a deal for a deal’ and I would urge them to step up their efforts.

He said the subject of governance would be a major subject of discussion in the meeting.

— A.S