Agency chief calls for end to unwritten rule

World Bank has always been led by a US citizen since 1945

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim believes the next head of the agency should be decided on merit rather than nationality.

The global financial institution, formed in 1945, has always been headed by a US citizen, just as the International Monetary Fund is always headed by a European. The unwritten rule has drawn sharp criticism, especially from developing countries.