DJIBOUTI, January 15, 2020 – A delegation of World Bank Group Executive Directors (EDs) has concluded its visit to Djibouti after gaining a comprehensive perspective of the country’s current development status and future opportunities, with its focus on youth and women.
The EDs met with government officials, representatives both from the private sector and from civil society, development partners, and young entrepreneurs. Discussions centered around challenges to sustainable growth in Djibouti and the need to implement structural reforms and invest in human capital. Discussions with Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh and the Minister of Finance and Economy Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh focused on the broad strategic direction of the Bank Group in Djibouti, including its program for improving the business environment and mobilizing private sector finance for development.
The visit also focused on Djibouti’s achievements and potential, with visiting Djibouti’s submarine cables landing site to learning about its ICT global gateway. The EDs welcomed government efforts to improve the domestic performance of the ICT and energy sectors, which are critical to the economic transformation of the country. They also visited Doraleh Container Terminal management company (SGTD) and Doraleh Multipurpose Terminal serving Djibouti’s port.
During a visit outside the capital to the region of Obock, the EDs observed firsthand how the Bank’s Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project has helped address the needs of migrants and refugees and their host communities and, in Balbala, a southern suburb of Djibouti city, how the Integrated Slum Upgrading Project helps support efforts to improve living conditions for residents of urban areas and achieve a Zero Slum strategy.
“Djibouti is making progress in reducing poverty and improving its business climate”, said Jean-Claude Tchatchouang, Executive Director for Djibouti. “However, regional and socioeconomic disparities persist. More is needed to ensure quality health care, education, nutrition, affordable energy and jobs for the next generations. The World Bank Group is committed to helping the Government of Djibouti achieve its ambitious development goals. We look forward to observing greater human and economic outcomes to support the country’s vision for shared prosperity.”
World Bank Group Board in Djibouti
As of January 2020, Djibouti has an International Development Agency (IDA) portfolio comprising 11 projects. The portfolio amounts to $174 million. The IDA program focuses on social protection, energy, urban poverty reduction, health, education, private sector development, energy, and better governance and public administration modernization. All projects place emphasis on women, youth, and resilience to climate change.
World Bank Group Board of Directors
The World Bank Group Board members are collectively called the Executive Directors. The Board of Directors includes the President of the World Bank Group and 25 Executive Directors. Member countries of the World Bank Group appoint or elect Executive Directors to the Boards of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Directors to the Board of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). While the World Bank Group maintains four Boards for these separate arms, Executive Directors typically serve on all Boards simultaneously.
The delegation of EDs to Djibouti represented 76 countries from Africa, Europe, Latin America and South Asia with almost 27% percent of the voting power of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The delegation included: Mr Tchatchouang (Executive Director for Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Togo) ; M. Zattler (Executive Director for Germany) ; M. Fernandez (Executive Director for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay), Ms. Kabagambe (Executive Director for Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) ; M. Marshavin (Executive Director for Russia, Syria) ; M. Montgomery (Executive Director for United Kingdom) ; Ms Subramani (Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka) ; M. Klemola (Alternate Executive Director for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden) ; Ms Zajdel-Kurowska (Alternate Executive Director for Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Poland, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).
