In his first day on the job, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said Wednesday he hoped the bank could help transform Africa from a continent of despair to one of hope. He said that while other parts of the world _ Asia, the former Soviet Union and Latin America _ make economic and political progress, «we cannot have a large part of the world with 600 million people left behind and sinking.» Starting a five-year term at the helm of the 184-nation lending institution, Wolfowitz said he hoped when he left office «We can say that this was a time when Africa went from being a continent of despair and poverty to a continent of hope''. Wolfowitz chose as one of his first audiences an Africa advocacy group that includes nongovernmental organizaztions, opinion leaders and business groups working to end poverty in Africa and expand trade and private investment. Several African ambassadors were among those listening, AP reported. --More 2145 Local Time 1845 GMT
