The ECPD was intensively engaged in the field of banking and finance organizing and managing international scientific meetings, and other forms of activities In that respect the World Scientific Banking Meeting as an ECPD affiliated institutions had major role.
The World Scientific Banking Meeting (WSBM) was established as a traditional, periodical, international conference, aimed at gathering the most prominent scientists, financial and banking experts, businessmen, renowned public figures and relevant officials of international, regional and national economic, financial and research organizations from all parts of the world, thus ensuring the exchange of views on the condition, problems and possible solutions in the field of international monetary, banking, financial and trade cooperation in development. The scientific and technical activities of the WSBM were managed by the International Council, encompassingeconomists, bankers and public figures who were interested in international monetary, financial and development problems. The World Scientific Banking Meeting established its Standing Secretariat in Belgrade, which was affiliated to the European Center for Peace and Development in 1989. The first president of the International Council of the World Scientific Banking Meeting was prominent French economist and theoretician in the field of economic development, François Perroux, while the vice - president was well known economists and politician, the founder and first Secretary General of UNCTAD, Raul Plebisch.
Raul Prebisch, Negoslav Ostojić and Bibiano Osorio - Tafall at the II Global Session of the WSBM
In organization of the International Council of the World Scientific Banking Meeting (WSBM) and its Studing Secretariat two meetings were held: the First in Dubrovnik in October 31 – November 5, 1977 and the Second in Dubrovnik in May 26-31, 1980. They were managed by professors François Perroux and Paul Plebish respectively. The meetings were devoted to the international financing of economic development. The WSBM I was attended by 600 participants from 50 countries and 29 international organizations. At the WSBM II 700 participants from 60 countries and 25 international organizations took part.
Julius Nyerere, former president of Tanzania, considered the issues of the less developed countries
The Third World Scientific Banking Meeting, devoted to the future of international financial and trade cooperation, was held in Dubrovnik, on 3 - 6 June, 1989, in the organization of the European Center for Peace and Development and the affiliated Standing Secretariat of the WSBM.
Enrique Iglesias (right), President, Inter - American Development Bank, and Negoslav Ostojić, ECPD Executive Director (III Meeting of the ECPD - WSBM, Dubrovnik, June 1989)
The preparations for this Meeting and its conduct were managed by the WSBM International Council, presided by the well - known scientist and public figure, Saburo Okita (President of the Institute for Domestic and International Policy Studies in Tokyo and former Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs). The Vice - Presidents of this Council were: Dragoslav Avramović, Director of ECPD Economic Studies; Louis Emmerij, President of the OECD Development Center; Enrique Iglesias, President, Inter - American Development Bank, and Robert Triffin, Professor Emeritus, Yale University. The members of the Council were renowned scientists in the economic development and experts in banking, finance and international trade.
Janez Drnovšek, President of the Presidency of the SFR of Yugoslavia, opening the III WSBM. Sitting in the chair: N. Ostojić, R. Triffin, L.A. Echeveria, S. Okita, D. Avramović, C. Kochlov (Dubrovnik, June 1989)
Special attention at the Meeting was devoted to the debt problems of developing countries. The Meeting, which was presided by SABURO OKITA, was attended by 550 representatives of 50 countries and 22 international organizations – academicians and experts in monetary, financial, banking and commercial affairs. The Meeting was opened by the President of the Presidency of the former Yugoslavia, Mr. Janez Drnovšek. The high level of WSBM III was confirmed, inter alia, by the presence and active participation of four Nobel Prize Winners in economics, former heads of state: Mexico, Tanzania and Nigeria; renowned economic and monetary theoreticians, such as Robert Triffin, Dragoslav Avramović, Robert Solomon, John Williamson and others.
Saburo Okita, President of the ECPD - WSBM International Council
About 130 papers and statements presented at this Meeting provided a basis for a fruitful and creative discussion, as well as the adoption of the appropriate conclusions. More than a half of this material was published in a special publication.
N. Ostojić, ECPD Executive Director (left) and Robert Griffin, Vice President of the WSBM International Council
The conclusions of the Third Scientific Banking Meeting were considered at the special session of the UN General Assembly in 1990 which was devoted to consideration of the special economic issues.
