Washington, April 15:

Embattled World Bank (WB) president Paul Wolfowitz, under fire for his role in the promotion of his girlfriend, was to join a policy meet today in what could be one of his last official acts as bank chief.

Facing calls for his resignation, Wolfowitz was also scheduled to appear at a press conference following the twice-yearly session of the bank’s policy-setting Development Committee, representing the lender’s 185 members.

After a tempestuous two-year tenure at the Washington-based development body, Wolfowitz is now under siege from bank staffers and advocacy groups who want him to go. He stands accused of helping arrange a hefty pay hike for his partner, former World Bank communications specialist Shaha Riza, when she was transferred to the US State Department in 2005.

Wolfowitz, a former US defence department dep-uty, has admitted to — an-d apologised for — mista-kes in the procedure under which the pay package was approved. He has said said he will abide by a decision on his fate that is to be taken by bank’s 24-member executive board.