Joe Biden announced on Monday a contribution “historic” of four billion dollars from the United States to a World Bank fund that supports the poorest countries, prior to the return to power of Donald Trumpdetermined to slash public spending.

The outgoing US president pledged the money to the International Development Association (IDA) on the first day of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, his last meeting with the world’s top leaders before leaving the White House in January.

Historic” aid

According to a senior US official, this is a contribution of “four billion dollars over three years”which does not commit Donald Trump’s future administration. But he pointed out that Republicans, when in power in the past, had also supported bailouts of this fund. Jon Finer, the Democratic president’s deputy national security adviser, spoke of a bailout of the fund. “historic”and that Joe Biden would call “other leaders to enhance their own contribution.”.

IDA is an arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. It provides loans and grants for programs to combat inequality and global warming. Joe Biden is on a tour of Latin America during which he hopes to highlight his international record before Donald Trump’s return. On Sunday, he became the first American president to visit the Amazon, where he defended his environmental policies.