World Bank appoints new Country Director to Maldives

World Bank has appointed a new Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

According to a statement released by the Bank, David Silsen will replace current Country Director Faris Hadad-Zevros starting from July 1^st.

Silsen, who holds dual citizenship of the United States and Italy, joined the World Bank as an Economist in the Urban Cluster Unit in 2001. Since then, he has held various operational and managerial positions in different regions with his most recent assignment being the Practice Manager for Urban, Disaster Risk Management and Land in the Latin America and Caribbean Region for which he was based in the US capital Washington. 

Commenting on his appointment, Silsen his key priority will be to lead the strategic dialogue to shape and implement operational engagements in line with the Bank’s focus on speed, scale, and impact, working closely with the governments, development partners, and diverse stakeholders

In this trajectory, he expressed eagerness to hold meetings with all stakeholders and partners at the earliest.

Silsen’s appointment comes at a time when the World Bank has urged the Maldivian government to urgently implement fiscal reforms. Earlier this month, Zevros, who currently holds the post, said Maldives faces vulnerable fiscal conditions and debt risks owing to sharp spending rise and subsidies widening the deficit.