World Bank President Ajay Banga poses for a portrait after an interview with The Associated Press, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at the World Bank in Washington. took charge at the World Bank almost a year ago: inflation eating at nations drowning in debt, a once-in-a-generation pandemic, climate disasters and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Now Banga is under pressure to deliver on putting climate at the forefront, while climate activists and advocates for developing nations have their own ideas about how to proceed. "There are a whole series of things the World Bank is doing to be a hand on countries' backs, rather than trying to force feed them into situations" that are unfavorable to smaller nations, he said.
"I think we can find spaces where the potential for geopolitics and national security fears don't interfere with what we want to do with development," he said, pointing to the new project to expand health care services to people with limited access.