The World Bank has appointed Dr. Victoria Kwakwa,a Ghanaian national, as the new World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Kwakwa succeeds Hafez Ghanem, who retired from the World Bank on June 30, 2022.

Dr. Kwakwa, an economist and development expert with over 30 years of experience, will lead an active regional program including a financing portfolio of over 300 projects totaling more than $50 billion and extensive policy research and advice.

Under Kwakwa’s leadership, the World Bank will continue to provide vital support to countries as they face a series of complex, multifaceted challenges including the fall-out from the COVID-19 crisis, increasing climate shocks, food- and energy-fueled inflation, and rising debt levels.

She will focus on support to economic recovery and transformation, private sector job creation, human capital development, climate resilience, agricultural productivity and food security, as well as access to critical infrastructure. The World Bank will also target efforts to reduce the drivers of fragility and conflict, improve gender equality and increase regional integration.

“Kwakwa brings a wealth of development experience to the position, having worked on countries in Africa, and East Asia. In her most recent role as the World Bank’s Vice President for Corporate Strategic Initiatives, she worked closely with the World Bank Managing Director of Operations to enhance the Bank’s operational efficiency and impact”.
World Bank

She also served as the Vice President for East Asia Pacific from April 2016 to September 2021, where she led the Bank’s engagement with 23 diverse clients on a wide range of development issues.

With a track record of putting people at the center of her work, Kwakwa is dedicated to bringing innovative approaches and financing to development to contribute to achieving a stable, integrated, and resilient region with dynamic economies and prosperous societies in which all citizens, notably women, children and youth enjoy equality of opportunity.

Vast work experience

Prior to her appointment on July 1, 2022, Dr. Kwakwa served as the Vice President for Corporate Strategic Initiatives, working closely with the World Bank Managing Director of Operations and other operational and corporate units on select high priority initiatives to enhance the World Bank’s operational delivery and impact.

She also served as the Vice President for East Asia Pacific from April 2016 to August 2021, where she led the Bank’s engagement with 23 diverse clients ranging from countries on the cusp of high income, established middle income, to lower middle-income countries.

In addition to her work in the East Asia and Pacific region, Dr. Kwakwa has extensive work experience in Africa including in Nigeria where she led the Bank’s economic work between 2001 and 2006. She was also Country Manager for Rwanda from 2007 to 2009.

Dr. Kwakwa brings to this role a deep knowledge of Bank Group operations, and strong experience working on issues related to debt and macroeconomic resilience, reforms for economic competitiveness and growth, and fiscal decentralization. She has a track record of putting people at the center of her work, listening to beneficiaries and striving for good outcomes for her clients and their citizens.

Her work has spanned a wide range of development issues including rural development, infrastructure services provision and financing, climate resilience and mitigation, developing human capital, and leveraging the potential of urbanization for development. She has built enduring partnerships with private sector, civil society and other international actors and has demonstrated her ability to mobilize these diverse stakeholders behind shared interests.

Dr. Kwakwa began her career at the World Bank as a Young Professional. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and statistics from the University of Ghana, and a master’s degree and PhD in economics from Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada.