WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The World Bank announced on Wednesday that its president David Malpass would step down on June 30, before the end of his term, the person concerned indicating that he would look to “new challenges” after more than four years in this position.

We do not immediately know the reasons for this premature departure of David Malpass, who will take place less than a year from the end of his five-year term.

“Having made a lot of progress, and after giving it some serious thought, I have decided to take on new challenges,” David Malpass said in a statement.

David Malpass assumed the presidency of the World Bank in April 2019, on the nomination of then US President Donald Trump, whose main adviser on international affairs he served.

Tensions arose last fall between the White House and David Malpass after the latter refused to say whether he agreed with the scientific consensus on climate change. He later apologized and recalled that human activities were contributing to climate change.

This departure will come as the US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, pushes for a reform of the World Bank so that it works more with its funding to fight against global warming and other global issues.

(Report Andrea Shalal and David Lawder; Jean Terzian)

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