What’s behind the scandal of World Bank country rankings?
Investigation finds the institution succumbed to pressure to knock some countries, boost others in its annual reports.
Over its short lifespan, the World Bank’s Doing Business annual report was a big hit with investors.
But some governments, eager to attract direct investment and worried about their reputation, pressed the World Bank to boost their scores, according to a recent investigation.
Other countries found themselves dropping in the rankings due to the personal animus of World Bank officials or politics.
Host Steve Clemons asks Judith Kelley, a Duke University professor and author of Scorecard Diplomacy, and Fabrice Houdart, former World Bank senior officer, about the repercussions for the credibility of the World Bank and efforts to fight corruption worldwide.