US nominee Ajay Banga to become World Bank president unopposed
Ajay Banga, the former CEO of Mastercard, is set to become the World Bank president after nominations closed on Wednesday and no country chose to field a challenger, reported Bloomberg. Banga was nominated for the position by US President Joe Biden last month after incumbent chief David Malpass announced quitting almost a year early. Malpass had also won the top spot unopposed in 2019.
Banga visited India last week, tested positive for COVID-19
Last week, the 63-year-old visited India, where he tested positive for COVID-19 and was quarantined in Delhi. He was on a three-week global tour, which started in Africa before progressing to Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The candidacy of Banga, who is now a citizen of the US, was endorsed by India soon after his nomination announcement.