MANILA, Philippines — The World Bank has appointed a new country director for the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Thailand effective Wednesday, July 1.
Ndiamé Diop, a Senegalese national, will oversee World Bank’s operations in the said countries and continue its policy dialogues with government counterparts, civil society, academic and private sectors, and other partners.
“I’m very excited to take this role of Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand,” Diop said in a statement.
“These are among the most dynamic economies in East Asia with a strong track record of economic reforms and achievements. The economic security of the middle class and the progress in poverty reduction are, however, is seriously threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he also said.
Diop added he is looking forward to meeting the institution’s partners in government “to learn how the Bank can help cushion health, economic and social impacts of the pandemic and set the stage for a lasting recovery.”
Diop has twenty years of experience at the World Bank, working across East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to his new appointment, he was the Practice Manager for Macroeconomics, Trade, and Investment for East Asia and the Pacific, providing technical and strategic guidance to the economic team working in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Diop was also the Lead Economist for Indonesia, leading the economic policy dialogue and the Bank’s advisory and development policy lending support for the country.
Earlier in his career, he worked as Lead Economist for Jordan and Lebanon and World Bank Resident Representative for Tunisia.
According to the institution, the World Bank Group (WBG) program in Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand combines “cutting-edge” analytics, advisory services, and lending operations to support the countries’ development agendas.
It added that the team also generates knowledge and provides evidence-based advice to support key reforms and share development and policy innovations with other developing countries.
In the Philippines, WBG’s work spans more than seven decades, providing support for infrastructure and engagement in key sectors, including agriculture, social protection, water resources, and disaster risk management.
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