World Bank unveils new Director for Central America and Dominican Republic
Michel Kerf has been appointed as the World Bank’s new Director for Central America and the Dominican Republic.
Kerf, a Belgian national, comes to the position from his most recent role as Country Director for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. He joined the World Bank in 1993 working on private sector development. He has also held a range of positions working on sustainable development, infrastructure, transport and information and communications technology, including across Latin America and the Caribbean.
He is responsible for the six Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, as well as the Dominican Republic. The World Bank’s work in these seven countries comprises an active portfolio of 43 projects worth $4.7 billion. Project areas include education, health, disaster risk management, violence prevention, social protection, rural competitiveness, land management, and public-sector efficiency.