Rabat – Jesko Hentschel joined the Rabat office on August 1, succeeding Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly who recently completed her four year term.
Hentschel will continue to manage the dialogue and partnership with the authorities, key stakeholders and World Bank development partners in Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, and Tunisia.
“It is an honor for me to be working in the Maghreb and Malta,” said Hentschel in a press release.
Hentschel holds a PhD in International Trade, Development, and Econometrics from the University of Konstanz in Germany. He also holds a master’s degree in science policy and planning in developing countries from the London School of Economics, and a master’s in Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the USA.
Hentschel joined the Bank in 1992. He has held positions in the Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and Central Asia Regions, most recently serving as country director for Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
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“The World Bank has a long-standing partnership with the region. Together with my colleagues in the country offices and across the institution, I look forward to deepening our engagement to help the region harness its immense potential and boost sustainable and inclusive growth,” Hentschel said following his appointment.
The World Bank currently has 21 active projects in Morocco, in partnership with local organizations across a range of sectors including education, financial inclusion, groundwater management, and renewable energy project development.
In February 2019 the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors endorsed a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Morocco, guiding a six year financial and technical assistance program.
Since the start of this year, the World Bank has approved close to $1.3 billion in loans to Morocco.
In February, the World Bank approved a $700 million loan to accelerate Morocco’s adoption of digital technology.
On July 11, the Moroccan Minister for Economy and Finance and the World Bank signed $500 million loan agreement to fund Morocco’s 2015-2030 Education Support Program. The program aims to improve access to early education in Morocco.
