World Bank appoints new country manager for Haiti

Laurent Msellati, a French citizen, has been appointed the new country manager for Haiti from the World Bank.

Laurent Msellati started his operation from April 1 onwards and is currently based in the Capital city Port-au-Prince.

In this new office, Mr Msellati's top preferences will be to supervise the World Bank's involvement with the Haitian government, working closely with key development partners and stakeholders, managing the country's plans and team and support personnel in the Haiti Country Office.

"Haiti has undergone several challenging years, and the social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been severe. I look ahead to advancing to support the Haitian people, focused on inclusive growth, and building resilience. "I will work closely with stakeholders in Haitian society to support the country's development priorities and provide support for the vulnerable," said Laurent Maserati.

Since joining the World Bank in 1991, Msellati has held various positions in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. He recently served as Country Manager of the World Bank for Mauritania and was also Practice Manager of the Global Agriculture Practice in Latin America and the Caribbean. Msellati holds a master's degree in business administration in finance and economics from the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (Italy), and a doctorate in veterinary science from the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Nantes (France).

Mr. Msellati will also head the implementation of the World Bank's program in Haiti, which involves an intense portfolio of 20 projects worth approximately US $ 915 million, funded by the International Development Association and trust funds. Project areas include transportation, energy, agriculture and food security, health, education, water supply and sanitation, finance, government, macroeconomics, social protection and employment, and digital development.