WASHINGTON (AP)The United States, Canada, Spain and South Korea have joined forces to support a new global fund to fight hunger and poverty.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that the new Global Agriculture and Food Security program includes a U.S. commitment to provide $475 million of the initial $880 million being pledged.
Canada pledged $230 million, Spain $95 million, South Korea $50 and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said it would provide $30 million.
The fund was created in response to a call by leaders of the Group of 20 major industrial countries last September to work with the World Bank to set up a trust fund as part of an effort to raise $22 billion to support food and anti-poverty efforts.