Phnom Penh, August 9, 2021— The World Bank has appointed Maryam Salim as its new Country Manager for Cambodia. She succeeds Inguna Dobraja, who has moved to Moldova after five years of heading the World Bank office in Phnom Penh.
Ms. Salim will lead the World Bank's day-to-day business with the government and development partners, including a US$1.1 billion portfolio of projects implemented by government agencies with World Bank funding and technical support. These projects are aligned with Cambodia's development priorities, with the World Bank's twin goals of reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity.
The World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework for Cambodia for 2019-2023 focuses on improving the efficiency of the public sector and promoting private sector development, on investing in human capital by improving access to quality early childhood education and health services, on diversifying agriculture and increasing its productivity, on promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, and on strengthening governance, institutions, and citizen engagement.
“It is my great pleasure to take this new position and I am very glad to be back to Cambodia, 17 years after first working here as a team leader for social fund projects to strengthen communities and fight poverty,” said Maryam Salim, new Country Manager for World Bank in Cambodia. “I look forward to working with my Cambodian colleagues to help the country manage the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, lay the groundwork for a robust recovery, and build resilience against future economic shocks.”
Ms. Salim has more than 20 years of experience in the World Bank, most recently as the Country Manager for Albania. Following her previous posting as a social and human development specialist in Cambodia, she held several high-profile positions in Bank operations policy in Washington D.C. A Tanzanian national, she holds a master’s degree in International Economics and Relations from Johns Hopkins University, and a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University.
