The World Bank is now divided into two vice presidencies in Africa. Ousmane Diagana takes over as head of West and Central Africa. The institution is stepping up its emergency support to African countries with a view to a rebound in the economies.
Since July 1, the World Bank’s regional portfolio in sub-Saharan Africa has been divided into two vice-presidencies, which will be responsible for West and Central Africa and East and Southern Africa respectively. The change was announced earlier this year and is effective today. It “demonstrates the World Bank’s strong commitment to Africa”, said the institution.
This year, the World Bank is expected to allocate approximately $50 billion to 48 African countries. This amount, already announced by the WB, is considerably higher than that allocated to other regions. It represents around a third of the entire World Bank portfolio. In ten years, the African portfolio has been doubled in ten years.
World Bank-funded projects and programs in sub-Saharan Africa focus on supporting agriculture, trade and transport, energy, education and health, as well as the water and sanitation sector. For their part, funding for fragile states has increased even more, with around two-thirds of the amounts allocated to these countries going to Africa.
The World Bank approved, at the end of June, additional funding of $50 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to help Bénin mitigate the impact of the coronavirus health crisis during the socio-economic recovery phase. economic. “This support will help fill the deficit in budgetary resources to meet basic social needs and the productive sector”, said the country manager for the World Bank.
Helping the most vulnerable and preparing for the post-Covid.
Funding related to the pandemic in Bénin stands at $90 million. In Congo, the Lisungi Covid-19 Emergency Response Project (PLRUC) will provide temporary financial support to poor and vulnerable households. The WB has just granted additional support of $50 million to this program.
“It is important to set up social safety nets to protect the poor and the vulnerable in this time of crisis”, said Jean-Christophe Carret, director of operations for the World Bank. In Guinea, it is no less than $100 million that the World Bank intends to release, in support of the country, over the next fifteen months. Nearly 11 million were granted at the end of June in response to the health crisis.
In mid-June, the institution announced a global funding component for Senegal, for $ 100 million. The World Bank anticipates “a rapid recovery” in the country’s economy after the health crisis has eased. “With this funding, we are helping Senegal prepare for its post-Covid recovery”, confirms Nathan Belete, director of operations. The objective is to safeguard the livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, and to promote opportunities through better access to electricity and the services offered by information and communication technologies.
Two structures, a common vision!
At the World Bank, the Africa department has been headed since 2018 by Hafez Ghanem, who becomes vice president for East and Southern Africa. Ousmane Diagana becomes vice-president for West and Central Africa.
“It is an honor for me to lead the World Bank’s work in West and Central Africa, with a concern for innovation, results and transformation”, said the new graduate. “I am convinced that, by working in concert with Hafez Ghanem, we can do better, and we will do better, to give priority to the interests of countries and populations and together find solutions to the current development problems of the continent by using all the means we have.”
His appointment comes at a time when the Bank is working to strengthen the delivery of its business agenda in Africa and to place greater emphasis on regional operations that can better materialize the transformative advances that Africa can achieve.
According to the World Bank, the creation of a new vice-presidency is a continuation of efforts to permanently align its resources with priority areas. It will further support the reforms and policies required to achieve sustainable and diversified growth, reduce poverty and improve the living conditions of people in Africa.
Two solid courses!
A Mauritanian national, Ousmane Diagana joined the World Bank in 1992 and has over 25 years of development experience. From now on, he will direct the strategic, analytical, operational and intellectual activities carried out by the Bank in this region.
He has held various technical and management positions within the institution, including that of director of operations for Mali, Niger, Chad and Guinea, as well as for Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Bénin and Togo. In the course of his duties, he devoted himself to countries in situations of fragility, conflict and violence.
Most recently, he was head of the Vice-President Ethics and Professional Conduct, then the Vice-President Human Resources of the World Bank Group, where he played a decisive role in strengthening the presence of staff among clients. , especially in fragile countries.
A French-Egyptian national, Hafez Ghanem is vice president of the World Bank for Eastern and Southern Africa. A development expert with more than thirty years of experience, he directs the Bank’s relations with 26 countries and oversees a portfolio of more than 280 projects, for a total commitment of more than $ 49 billion.
Hafez Ghanem’s vision for Africa has focused on scaling up aid for fragile and conflict-affected states, promoting gender equality and developing economic opportunities for youth.
