David Malpass, President of the World Bank, announces that he will leave office on June 30

World Bank President David Malpass has announced that he will leave his post early, at the end of the current fiscal year, which ends on June 30. Malpass, appointed to the job by former US President Donald Trump, has not explained the reasons for his decision, but the World Bank president was sharply criticized by Democrats after expressing skepticism last September when asked if the burning of fossil fuels was causing global warming.

“I don’t even know. I am not a scientist”, was Malpass’s response to that question, at an event organized by The New York Times. Immediately, requests for resignation rained down. “We need a new World Bank leader, for God’s sake! We cannot have a climate denier at the helm of the World Bank!” ex-Vice President Al Gore exploded at the same event.

“I met with the Board of Directors of the World Bank Group this afternoon and informed them of my intention to resign before the end of our fiscal year on June 30.” has written in a tweet. “The last four years have been some of the most significant of my career. After having made a lot of progress, and after thinking about it carefully, I have decided to undertake new challenges ”, he said in a statement.

“It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve as president of the world’s leading development institution alongside so many talented and exceptional individuals,” Malpass said in a statement. “At a time when developing countries are facing unprecedented crises, I am proud that the Bank Group has responded with speed, breadth, innovation and impact,” he added.

Malpass has developed his message in a LinkedIn post in which he declares himself proud of what he has achieved during his tenure and details what he considers his main achievements. “Together we have worked hard to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, reduce the public debt burden and improve living standards in all aspects of human development, such as education, health, social protection and employment, gender equality and access to drinking water and electricity,” he says.

On the social network, he highlights the funds mobilized to deal with the pandemic crisis, first, and the impact of the war in Ukraine, later. “We have reached important new records in the levels of financing, including the financing of the fight against climate change”, he indicates, perhaps trying to whitewash his image in this regard.

Al Gore, for his part, has claimed victory: “Humanity needs the director of the World Bank to fully recognize and respond creatively to the danger that the climate crisis poses to civilization. He’s glad to hear that new leadership is coming. This must be the first step towards a real reform that places the climate crisis at the center of the bank’s work”, has written on Twitter.