The deal to create a "loss and damage" fund was hailed as a breakthrough for developing country negotiators at United Nations climate talks in Egypt last year, overcoming years of resistance from wealthy nations. The committee, representing a geographically diverse group of countries, resolved to recommend the World Bank serve as trustee and host of the fund - a tension point that has fuelled divisions between developed and developing nations. Housing a fund at the World Bank, whose presidents are appointed by the U.S., would give donor countries outsized influence over the fund and result in high fees for recipient countries, developing countries have argued. To get all countries on board, it was agreed the World Bank would serve as interim trustee and host of the fund for a four-year period. "Rich countries ... have not only coerced developing nations into accepting the World Bank as the host of the Loss and Damage Fund but have also evaded their duty to lead in providing financial assistance to those communities and countries."

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Persons: Tarusila, Loren Elliott, Jennifer Morgan, we're, Harjeet Singh, Sultan al, Jaber, Gloria Dickie, Valerie Volcovici, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Local, REUTERS, United Nations, Bank, Housing, World Bank, Action, U.S . State Department, Reuters, The U.S, Washington DC, Thomson Locations: Village, Fiji, United States, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, U.S, Berlin, COP28, London, Washington