World Bank’s Banga wants to make gains in tackling the effects of climate change, poverty and war

By FATIMA HUSSEIN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a full agenda for Ajay Banga as he nears the end of his first year as World Bank president. The bank and the International Monetary Fund are holding their spring meetings in Washington this week, and Banga is highlighting new initiatives to expand access to health care and electricity across the globe. He says in an Associated Press interview that the challenges of poverty, conflict and climate change are creating a perfect storm and that “we need to put all of our efforts into this.” He’s noting the bank’s role in financing climate projects and its focus on major cross-border projects that can affect large numbers of people.