World Bank Appoints New Regional Director for the South Caucasus

Ms. Mercy Tembon has been appointed World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus, effective as of October 1, 2015. In this position, Ms. Tembon will oversee the Bank’s program in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and will lead the development and implementation of the Bank’s Country Partnership Strategies in these countries, as well as continuing the dialogue with civil society and development partners. Ms. Tembon will be based in Tbilisi, which hosts the Bank’s Regional Office for the South Caucasus.

Ms. Tembon, a Cameroonian national, joined the Bank in 2000 as an Education Specialist in the Human Development Department in the Africa Region. She brings a wealth of experience from working across regions for the human development network as well as technical and managerial positions in the Africa region.　Ms. Tembon has significant experience working with clients on country strategies and programs, managing country offices and developing fruitful partnerships with stakeholders and other development partners.　She has held various positions including an extended acting Country Director post for Tanzania and her most recent assignment as Country Manager for Burkina Faso.

In her new position, Ms. Tembon’s top three priorities will be: (i) to lead the country team to deliver knowledge, convening and financing services that respond to client demands and needs, and contribute to achieving the Bank’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity; (ii) to oversee the implementation of the existing portfolio and guide the future direction of the program, and (iii) to work with IFC and MIGA to strengthen the World Bank Group delivery.

Ms. Tembon will take over from Mr. Henry Kerali, who was appointed as the Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, based in Accra.

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Contacts:

In Washington: Elena Karaban, Tel.: (202) 473 9277, ekaraban@worldbank.org

In Tbilisi: Inga Paichadze, Tel.: (99532) 291 3096 /291 2659, ipaichadze@worldbank.org