You can't compete globally unless you have appropriate communication skills. James Wolfensohn More Quotes by James Wolfensohn More Quotes From James Wolfensohn Too many of the conflicts which are caused today are caused by the problems that emerge from people who are in poverty. James Wolfensohn poverty today people So the first thing you need to do about conflict is to prevent it, and the best way of preventing it is by dealing with the question of poverty. James Wolfensohn poverty way needs I think that's one of the reasons for the Sarajevo conference, that Yugoslavia, Serbia, return to the family of nations because enduring peace can only come when you have Serbia within that framework. James Wolfensohn endure reason thinking It is possible to have a public education system that works. James Wolfensohn possible public-education education My observation on most people in national governments is that they have very little interest in and very little knowledge of the multinational institutions. James Wolfensohn observation interest people knowledge I believe and still believe that the Chinese government puts great weight on the experience of the Bank in terms of development. James Wolfensohn great experience government believe The interesting thing about debt in most cases is that you have to pay it back. So if you build an overhang of debt, it becomes more and more limiting in terms of the prospect that you have. James Wolfensohn back you debt interesting The poor people of the world tend to be the places that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups can recruit. James Wolfensohn poor-people poor people world You can't wish away poverty overnight. James Wolfensohn away you poverty wish The only way really to influence countries, in terms of poverty, is to get them to change their policies and get them to understand what the issues are. James Wolfensohn understand poverty change way You don't succeed on corruption in five minutes. I wish one could. James Wolfensohn i-wish you corruption wish China never borrowed less than $3 billion a year during my tenure. They were the most significant client. They used the Bank not just for money but for the know-how. James Wolfensohn bank year never money The Bank had never used the word 'corruption' at all until I got there, and the reason for that was, as the general counsel pointed out to me, that quite a number of our shareholders represented were not immune from corruption in their governments. James Wolfensohn never me corruption reason Most people recognize that to create jobs is really the essential element in their drive against poverty. James Wolfensohn drive create poverty people It's probably conventional wisdom now that you bring openness of markets only after the market has developed to a certain level. James Wolfensohn only now you wisdom When I travel, I make certain that I spend at least half of my time in the field. You have to get out to meet people that are in poverty, that are looking to improve their lives. That's something that you can't read in books. James Wolfensohn you time people travel I think that so-called capitalism and trade is a very important element in giving people opportunity. James Wolfensohn think capitalism opportunity people Many people of my generation grew up in developed countries thinking that the world was divided into two parts and that there was a wall round the developed world. They thought that poor people had no relevance to us. What happened on September 11 was that anybody who thought there was a wall now knows that there is no wall. James Wolfensohn generation people world thinking Rebuilding Afghanistan is not going to be solved by pouring billions in. Getting rid of the Taliban does not rid us of the problems of fundamentalism and instability. James Wolfensohn going us problems afghanistan I have travelled in the country enough to know that the concerns of villages in Rajasthan will be very different from the issues in the villages of Tamil Nadu. Anybody who makes a general remark about India probably doesn't know India. James Wolfensohn will know india country