April 6, 2011 www.interaction.

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Sue Pleming: 202.552.6561 or 202.341.3814 (Cell) or spleming@interaction.org
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U.S. NGOs welcome Zoellick call for greater civil society investment

WASHINGTON (April 6, 2011)—NGO alliance InterAction welcomes World Bank President

Robert Zoellick’s speech today in which he described the importance of civil society's role in
development economics.

Zoellick urged that the World Bank's stakeholders consider greater investment in nonprofit civil
society groups worldwide and for them to participate more fully in shaping development efforts,
particularly following recent political upheaval in the Middle East.

―The speech was a real breakthrough for us in the NGO world. We hope other development and
financial leaders will listen to Mr. Zoellick’s suggestions when they come to Washington next
week for annual meetings,‖ said Samuel A. Worthington, president of InterAction.

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international NGOs, with more than 190
members doing relief and development work in every developing nation.

―Mr. Zoellick’s view that now is the time to help strengthen the capacity of organizations working
on transparency and accountability, for example, is to be applauded. We also agree that
multilateral and national development efforts would benefit from greater participation from civil
society groups and the people they represent,‖ added Worthington.

World financial leaders are set to meet in Washington next week for the spring meetings of the
World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The recent political upheaval in the Middle
East and its economic impact are expected to be on the agenda, along with the challenges
posed to the world’s poor by rising food prices.

― Mr. Zoellick said what we have known all along – when civil society groups participate in the
design, monitoring and management of public services, budgets are better used and there is
less corruption,‖ said Worthington.

Zoellick delivered his speech at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in
Washington. It was entitled: ―The Middle East and North Africa: A New Social Contract for
Development.‖

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InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based nongovernmental international organizations with more than
190 members. Our members operate in every developing country, working with local communities to
overcome poverty and suffering by helping to improve their quality of life. Visit www.interaction.org

InterAction | 1400 16th St. NW, Suite 210, Washington D.C. 20036 | 202.667.8227 | ia@interaction.org