The African Development Bank has named Léandre Bassole as Deputy Director General for the East African Region, effective June 1, 2024.
Dr. Bassole is a native of Burkina Faso and has over eighteen years of expertise in consulting services, designing national programs and strategies, and high-level policy debate. He has effectively implemented successful operations and programs in middle-income and transitional states in several African areas, including West, Central, East, and Southern Africa.
Before his appointment, Bassole served as the Country Manager for Guinea. In that role, he oversaw policy changes, had high-level discussions with the government and development partners, and was primarily responsible for creating and carrying out strategies for economic development. In addition, he was in charge of co-financing, regional integration, mobilization of domestic resources, changes in the public and private sectors of development, public financial management, governance, and strategic alliances. The Bank’s commitment to Guinea grew under his direction, from $240 million in 2017 to $728 million in 2023, making the Bank the go-to partner for funding high-impact development initiatives.
As a young professional, Bassole began working for the Bank Group in 2009. From 2012 to 2017, he covered seven different nations as a senior macroeconomist, including Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mali, Burundi, Madagascar, Senegal, and Rwanda. In these capacities, he developed and carried out institutional support operations and policy reforms in a number of different areas, including governance, energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, industry, transport, health, and education.
Among his noteworthy accomplishments was spearheading the most inventive budget support initiative, which combined loan and partial credit guarantee instruments for the first time for a country funded by the African Development Fund (Madagascar in 2016). With the help of the Bank’s activities, this program supported structural changes and fiscal policy, promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and assisting the nation in accessing financial markets.
Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the Bank Group, remarked, “I am pleased to appoint Dr. Léandre Bassole as Deputy Director General designated for the East Africa Region. Léandre, a seasoned economist and respected professional, has deep knowledge and experience in developing and managing country strategies and operations. His solid track record of field-level delivery as Country Manager and good reputation in building partnerships, managing large portfolios, and providing team leadership will help the Bank accelerate delivery on its mandate in East Africa.”
Prior to joining the African Development Bank, Bassole held positions as a researcher and development impact specialist at a number of national and international organizations, such as the World Bank Group and the French National Center for Scientific Research, where he was a key member of the team that produced the 2008 World Development Report on Agriculture for Development.
Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Bassole said, “I am very grateful to President Adesina for the confidence and trust bestowed upon me by this appointment. I am also humbled and deeply honored to work under his leadership in the East Africa region, working with a talented and high-performing team and contributing to improving the quality of life of the people of this region.”
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