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Ph:DR: Ms Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira, new World Bank Country Director for Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Togo (since July 1, 2023), during her GDIZ visit to Benin
Madame Marie-Chantal Unayiligiranew Director of World Bank Operations for Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Togo (since 1is July 2023), visited Benin from July 24 to 25, 2023. She took the opportunity to introduce herself to the Beninese authorities and discuss with them the Partnership between the World Bank and Benin, as well as the important priorities to be taken into account during his term of office. At the turn of the working meetings, she visited the GDIZ and welcomed the dynamics of development in Benin.
During her stay in Benin, Mrs. Uwanyiligira went to the Industrial Zone of Glo-Djigbé where she met young people in training in industrial trades, thanks to the support of the Youth Inclusion Project (PRODIJ) financed by the World Bank. The objective of this partnership with GDIZ is to secure employment opportunities (by 2025) for 18,500 young people, mainly in the textile industry, cashew processing and related activities.
“I am impressed by the ambition of the government, which is steering Benin towards a good development trajectory. Ongoing investments in the Glo-Djigbé industrial zone undeniably offer new opportunities for inclusive growth, wealth creation and jobs. The World Bank Group is proud to move forward with Benin towards economic and social transformation”she argues.
The current World Bank portfolio in Benin amounts to 2 billion 86 million dollars and includes 25 projects and programs covering several priority development areas for Benin. The latest operation was approved on June 15, 2023 for an amount of $150 million and concerns the economic governance program for the delivery of services. This program will support actions aimed at efficiency in the mobilization of national resources in order to allow the State to have more means to finance public services and respond to shocks.
This is Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira ?
Of Rwandan nationality and an economist by training, Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira has more than twenty-five years of experience in the field of development. Having joined the World Bank in 1995 as an operations officer in Kigali (Rwanda), she rose through the ranks and occupied key positions within the institution, notably those of: Resident Representative of the World Bank in Madagascar; Head of service at the global center of expertise for the department in charge of the water and sanitation sector; Assistant then Deputy Chief of Staff to the President of the World Bank Group in Washington; Chief of Staff to the Managing Director of the World Bank and Program Coordinator for Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania.
She also has experience in the private sector, holding management positions, while sharing her knowledge as a teacher in several universities.
