World Bank president arrives in Russia

James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank (WB) Group, in the course of a two-day visit to Moscow, which begins on Wednesday, is going to familiarise himself with a reform programme of the new Russian government, a WB press release says.

Wolfensohn said he hoped the visit would enable him during meetings with the Russian government to see how cooperation with the World Bank Group could benefit Russia in solving major tasks facing it - to double GDP by 2010 and secure a considerable improvement in the social conditions of the population.

The main goal of Wolfensohn's visit is to take part in the first international conference on corporate governance and economic growth in Russia to be held by the National Council for Corporate Governance with the participation of the World Bank Group and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The World Bank Group president said he expected to see Russia's achievements in corporate governance over the past few years. Qualified corporate governance is as essential for Russia's future, as for the future of the entire world's economy.

Wolfensohn will leave Moscow on Friday, June 4.