Areas of Expertise:
• Dialogue with government counterparts at the highest level and with stakeholders outside of government on reform and broader economic and social development challenges.
• Significant experience in successfully building and managing client relationships within and outside of government
• Designing and implementing country assistance strategies with focus on results and on partnerships with other donors and non-government stakeholders.
• Designing and implementing World Bank lending instruments and non lending processes.
• Building and managing client relationships
• Analytical work and technical assistance in the areas of public finance management, fiscal federalism and intergovernmental fiscal coordination, macroeconomic management in large oil dependent economies and on growth.
• Understanding of issues related to the political economy of reform
• Effective mentoring of colleagues
Experience
January 2007- Present: Country Manager for the World Bank in Rwanda
In this capacity I have responsibility in the following areas: (i) designing the Bank’s strategy of assistance to Rwanda; (ii) leading
the day to day policy dialogue with Government of Rwanda on major economic, social and governance policy issues; (iii)
overseeing the implementation of the Bank’s Rwanda portfolio and proactively working with colleagues to find solutions to
emerging implementation issues; and (iv) building partnerships with donors in country and other stakeholders outside of
Government to effectively implement the Bank’s program in Rwanda.
A key achievement during this period has been the endorsement by the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors of a new Country Assistance strategy for Rwanda, was approved in September 2008 which expands the Bank’s engagement with Rwanda. In the
Bank’s role as lead donor in the agriculture and energy sectors, I have worked successfully with sector colleagues and with Government to move to Sector Wide Approaches in both sectors. I have worked closely with other donors to strengthen arrangements for coordination of our budget support assistance with that of other partners and harmonize triggers and prior actions through a Common Performance Assessment Framework agreed with Government and budget support donors late in 2008.
August 2003 – December 2006: Lead Economist and Cluster Leader For Bank’s Economic Work on Nigeria based in Abuja
In this capacity I participated in and oversaw the preparation and delivery of an interesting and growing program of analytical work, dialogue with government and non government counterparts, technical assistance and project implementation support and
more general support to the Government’s Economic Reform Program. I also worked closely with the country director and the
Country Management Unit (CMU) on various country related issues including more recently on the joint assistance strategy
between UK-DFID and the Bank, the reclassification of Nigeria as an IDA only country, the expansion of its IDA envelope and,
support to Nigeria’s historic debt deal with its Paris Club Creditors. I interacted on a day to day basis with high level policy makers and with collaborators in the private sector and Civil Society. Led The World Bank’s Economic Team for Nigeria including two senior economists, one economist (seconded from DFID) one long term consultant, one ACS staff all located in the Abuja Office and one research analyst located in Washington.
Played a mentoring role in this regard.
I also regularly acted as Country Director for Nigeria when the Country Director was out of Nigeria and had a key role in the
country dialogue both in this capacity and in my capacity as Lead Economist and Cluster Leader:
Key accomplishments in this assignment include:
• Key member of the Core Team for the preparation of the World Bank DFID Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for
Nigeria approved by the Board of Executive Directors in June 2005
• At invitation of Federal Minister of Finance, successfully served on Nigerian Tax Reform Working Group and on
Working Group preparing the Nigerian Fiscal Responsibility Bill (both bills currently before the legislature for approval).
• Key role in innovative debt sustainability analysis extending traditional framework to include achievement of key MDGs
• Prepared Economic Reform and Governance Project, the World Bank’s main instrument for support to the Federal
Government’s economic governance reforms.
• Leading a newly created joint World Bank-UK DFID Governance Outcome Team
• Coordinating Bank engagement and work in Lagos State under the CPS
• Built a strong Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM) team in the Abuja Office
• Active participation in country dialogue and in running of the World Bank office in Abuja. Victoria Kwakwa 2
July 2000- July 2003: Senior Country Economist for Nigeria based initially in DC and in Abuja from November 2000
Key accomplishments in this assignment include
• Successfully begun re-engagement of the Bank with Nigeria on economic management issues
• Established partnerships and dialogue with key private sector groups including the Nigeria Economic Summit Group
• Led participatory Public Expenditure Review
• Led States Finances Study
• Invited speaker at several Government and Private sector Conferences on a range of economic issues
July 1999 – June 2000: Core Member of WDR “Attacking Poverty” Member of the Core Team that prepared the World Development Report on Attacking Poverty. Report helped bring into the mainstream several other aspects of poverty other than income and human development including issues such as vulnerability and voice.
Key accomplishments in this assignment include:
• Jointly authored chapter on Expanding Poor Peoples’ Assets and Tackling Inequalities
• Contributed to Chapter on Making Markets Work better for Poor People
• Successfully disseminated report in three locations in Africa—Dakar, Kampala, Abuja--and in Austria
July 1996- June 1999: Senior Economist on Vietnam and Lao PDR
Worked as part of EASPR team on Vietnam and then on Lao PDR. Participated in several tasks including support for buy-back of
Vietnam’s London Club Debt; Supervised a structural adjustment program in Lao PDR; Key accomplishments include:
• Led CEM on Consolidating Vietnam’s Reforms which was used by incoming Country Director to launch his engagement and dialogue with Government
• Prepared report on Impact of East Asian Crisis on Lao PDR and published extract of this in Finance and Development magazine
December 1990 – June 1996 : Country Economist, Sahel Department, Africa Region Economist initially on Senegal, then on Chad and finally on Mali from 1992-1996
Key accomplishments include
• Carried out Analysis on impact of CFA devaluation on Mali to inform Bank dialogue with Government and Bank support to Government following in the period leading to and following the devaluation
• Prepared Economic Recovery Credit for Mali following the CFA devaluation in 1994
• Prepared Country Assistance Strategy For Mali
• Acting Resident Representative in Mali for a three month period (Resident Representative on maternity leave)
September 1989 – September 1999. Young Professional Africa and East Asia Regions
Worked as economist and part of a PER team for Uganda. Worked with a human development team on Indonesia preparing an education and a health project. Key accomplishments include:
• Prepared note background note on revenue generation for the Uganda PER
• Prepared background notes on education and health financing in Indonesia
September 1988- August 1989: Assistant Professor of Economics University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Taught undergraduate courses in micro economics, trade and development economics
September 1986 – June 1987: Adjunct Professor of Economics Trent University, Peterborough Ontario Canada
• Taught undergraduate courses in micro economics, trade and development economics
• Supervised long essays of two student
• Mentored foreign students
Education
Sept 1997 London Business School
The Executive Management Program
1981 – 1988 QUEENS’ UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL Kingston Canada
PHD in Economics International Trade and Finance and Monetary Theory and Policy June 1988.
Master of Arts in Economics Money Banking and Stabilization Policy June 1982
1977-1980 THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA Legon, Accra
Bachelor of Arts Combined Degree in Economics and Statistics June 1980.
Language Skills
• Fluent and able to work in both French and English .