Sunday, March 27, 2005

Wolfowitz -- mixing business and pleasure

The world has suddenly woken up to the fact that Paul Wolfowitz, who's been nominated as next president of the World Bank, is conducting a romantic relationship with Tunisian-born Shaha Ali Riza, the bank’s former senior gender co-ordinator for the Middle East and North Africa and currently a communications advisor in the ME and NA Dept. Bloghead noted their relationship last August.
The prospect of Wolfowitz becoming head honcho is apparently making staff -- and others looking for any excuse to block his nomination -- uncomfortable:
World Bank regulations forbid couples to work on the staff if one reports directly to the other — an unlikely eventuality in their case. Through a spokesman, Wolfowitz stated enigmatically: “If a personal relationship presents a potential conflict of interest, I will comply with bank policies to resolve the issue.”
I hope that doesn't mean his girlfriend is going to end up giving up her job on his account.

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