After the announcement by the American tech giant Microsoft that it would spend tens of billions of dollars to acquire a video game company, World Bank President David Malpass made a comparison on Wednesday between this deal and the funds committed by wealthy nations to help poor countries burdened by debt. Malpass stated, "I was stunned this morning by Microsoft's investment (...) 75 billion dollars in a video game company," compared to donations of only 24 billion dollars over three years to assist the poorest countries, referring to contributions made by 48 wealthy and middle-income countries in December.
He remarked regarding Microsoft's deal during a discussion at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, "One must wonder, is this the best allocation of capital?" He continued, "There needs to be more flow of funds and growth in developing countries."
On Tuesday, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire the American video game giant Activision Blizzard for approximately 69 billion dollars, known for popular games like "Candy Crush," "Call of Duty," and "World of Warcraft."
Malpass urged the wealthier countries in the G20 to provide more debt relief for the world's least developed nations that qualify for interest-free loans. He noted, "The debts owed have become immense," and the issue has become "complex."
