World Bank Appoints Chinese Economist Qimiao Fan New Country Director for Somalia

GOOBJOOG NEWS/WASHINGTON: The World Bank has appointed Chinese economist Qimiao Fan as the new Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda.

Fan, who has over 35 years of experience in development practice, will oversee the design and implementation of the World Bank’s support program to the four countries that has an active portfolio consisting of 102 projects totaling $17.2 billion.

A Chinese national, Fan joined the World Bank in 1991 and has since held leadership positions in various countries and regions around the world. Prior to taking up this assignment, he served as Country Manager for Cambodia in the East Asia and Pacific Region; Country Director for Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine in the Europe and Central Asia Region; Country Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal in the South Asia Region; Director of Strategy and Operations for the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Vice Presidency; Director of Strategy and Operations in the Office of the Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships; and most recently, as Director for Strategic and Corporate Initiatives.

Prior to joining the World Bank, Fan worked as a researcher in development and transition economics at the London School of Economics in the UK and as a policy researcher at Jiangxi Institute of Finance and Economics in China. He also took leave from the World Bank and worked as a senior executive including as a CEO and a vice chairman of the board in the private sector in China for a number of years. Mr. Fan holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Birmingham, England. He has published on topics related to investment climate, private sector development, finance, and transition economies.