The economist will continue to support efforts to reduce poverty, promote shared prosperity, and create jobs
WASHINGTON, September 18, 2017 – Seynabou Sakho is the new World Bank director for Central America. A highly respected economist with experience in several countries of Latin America and Africa, Sakho will begin her term today.
“Sakho will prioritize the World Bank program in Central America to support country efforts to reduce poverty, promote shared prosperity, and create jobs, as well as to continue backing the integration agenda,” said Jorge Familiar, World Bank Vice-president for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sakho, who is from Senegal, joined the World Bank in 2004. She has held several positions with the Bank, including as economist for Brazil, Jamaica and Bolivia, economic advisor to the Operations Policy and Country Services Unit, and advisor to the Executive Director’s Office. Most recently, she served as manager of Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management for East and Central Africa.
The new World Bank Director for Central America earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in finance and economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has also authored and co-authored several publications on economic growth, private-sector development, and the effect of financial restrictions on small and medium-sized enterprises.
In her new role, Sakho will be responsible for the management unit, which covers six Central American countries. Sakho is replacing Humberto López, who was named director of Strategy and Operations for Latin America and the Caribbean.
In Central America, the World Bank currently has 33 projects committed and in implementation, with a budget totaling more than US$2.3 billion. Project areas include education, health, disaster risk management, violence prevention, social protection, rural competitiveness, land management, and public-sector efficiency.
Contacts:
Washington: Marcela Sánchez-Bender, +1 (202) 473-5863, msanchezbender@worldbank.org
Central America: Cynthia Flores cfloresmora@worldbank.org and Àngels Masó amaso@worldbank.org
Learn more about the work of the World Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean: www.worldbank.org/lac
Visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldbank
Be updated via Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BancoMundialLAC
For our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/BancoMundialLAC
News Release
2018/018/LAC
