Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Qimiao Fan starts works on Monday as the World Bank’s new Country Director for Bangladesh.
He also new country director for Bhutan and Nepal.
In his first visit to Bangladesh tomorrow, Fan will accompany Annette Dixon, World Bank South Asia Vice President, who will introduce Fan to the government of Bangladesh, said a press release.
During her visit, Dixon along with Fan will also meet the Finance Minister and other senior government officials.
Fan brings a wide range of development experience to the job.
A Chinese national, Fan joined the World Bank in 1991 and has held leadership positions in different countries and regions of the world.
Prior to taking his current assignment, Fan served as the Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.
From 1998 to 2002, he took leave from the World Bank to work in the private sector in various senior executive positions in China.
After returning to the World Bank, Fan worked as a Program Leader for the Investment Climate Program in the World Bank Institute and later as Country Manager for Cambodia.
“Bangladesh has made significant gains in development in recent years. I am looking forward to working closely with the government and people of Bangladesh in realizing their goal of achieving middle-income status by 2021,” said Fan.
“The World Bank will continue working with the government to maintain economic stability; strengthen revenue mobilization; tackle energy and infrastructure deficits; deepen financial-sector and external trade reforms; improve labor skills, economic governance, and urban management; and helping with the adaption to climate change.”
Prior to joining the World Bank, Fan worked as a researcher in development and transition economics at the London School of Economics and as a policy researcher at Jiangxi Institute of Finance and Economics in China.
He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Birmingham, England.
He has published widely on topics related to investment climate and problems of economies in transition.
In his current role as the World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Fan will oversee the finalization and implementation of the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Bangladesh, which is now the largest recipient of support from the International Development Association (IDA) providing World Bank grants and low interest loans to the poorest countries.
In pursuing the World Bank Group’s mission of eliminating poverty and promoting shared prosperity, he will also lead the policy dialogue with government counterparts, civil society and other partners.
World Bank support has helped Bangladesh to achieve remarkable progress in many areas such as reducing poverty, bringing almost all children into primary schooling, improving health outcomes, expanding access to energy, and building infrastructure.
The World Bank’s current IDA portfolio in Bangladesh stands at nearly $8.7 billion with 36 active projects. Since Bangladesh’s independence, the World Bank has been the country’s largest development partner in terms of financing volume.
BBN/SK/AD