Ed Elmendorf on Myths and Realities of Structural Adjustment Programs Sponsored by Bretton Woods International Financial Institutions

Thursday, June 6, at 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in the Boulder Creek Room of the Boulder Public Library. Our featured speaker was Ed Elmendorf leading a discussion on “Myths and Realities of Structural Adjustment Programs Sponsored by Bretton Woods International Financial Institutions”. Ed has a wealth of experience on this subject, and there was a great deal of interest in these controversial programs.

Ed Elmendorf has been actively involved in international organizations for more than 50 years, including service with the US Mission to the United Nations from 1963 to 1969, a 30-year career with the World Bank, when he was actively engaged in the design and implementation of structural adjustment programs in several African countries, and further work on health strategy and policy in developing countries as a consultant to the World Bank, WHO, the UN Development Program, the US Institute of Medicine, and the African Development Bank. He was co-author of the book, Better Health in Africa, published by the World Bank in 1994. After retiring from the World Bank, Ed taught at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in Baltimore, and has spoken widely on international health and development, and the UN. Ed was a significant leader in UNA-USA (our parent organization), helped negotiate the alliance between UNA-USA and the UN Foundation, and served as President of the National Capital Area of UNA (UNA-NCA) from 2005 to 2009. He also served on the Executive Committee of the World Federation of UN Associations in 2010, and received the UNA-USA Arnold Goodman Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2013. He has continued his involvement in human rights advocacy, global education, and promotion of NGOs working for good governance and combating corruption.