Hadad-Zervos gets responsibility of three countries

Kathmandu, Jul 1

The World Bank appointed Faris Hadad-Zervos  new Country Director for the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Based in the sub-regional office in Kathmandu, Nepal, he will lead World Bank support to the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, overseeing the current total portfolio of around $5.5 billion.

Hadad-Zervos succeeds Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough, who will be taking on a new WB assignment, said the multilateral donor.

He previously served as the WB’s Country Manager for Nepal.

A US national, he joined the World Bank in 1996 and held country manager positions in Malaysia and Bolivia. He also served as Manager of the Technical Cooperation Programme with the Gulf Cooperation Countries, Head of Mission for Iraq, and Operations Manager for the West Bank and Gaza.

“It is critical to protect lives and livelihoods and support economic recovery as countries are fighting the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Hadad-Zervos.

“My first priority is to ensure that World Bank-financed programmes help alleviate the health and economic impacts of COVID-19, create jobs, and foster inclusive and sustainable growth in the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and I look forward to working with governments, development partners, the private sector, and civil society,” he added

The World Bank is supporting the governments of the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka through COVID-19 emergency response projects totaling over $350 million to help the countries prevent, detect and respond to the pandemic and strengthen public health preparedness.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 July 2020.