World Bank appoints new Country Director for Caribbean 

The World Bank has appointed Lilia Burunciuc as the new Country Director for Caribbean countries, effective as of Thursday.

In a statement, the institution confirmed that Burunciuc will be based in Kingston, Jamaica. It noted that she brings a wide range of development experience to her new position. She first joined the World Bank in 1996 and has held leadership positions in several countries and regions of the world, including in Europe and Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to her current assignment, Burunciuc served as Country Director for Central Asia.
Relating to her appointment, she said, “I look forward to continuing and deepening the World Bank’s strong partnership with Caribbean countries to increase their resilience and address their most pressing development challenges…Economically, Caribbean small states dependent on tourism have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am committed to working closely with our partners in the Caribbean, including Government, Private Sector, and civil society, to support the Region’s green, resilient, and inclusive recovery.”
Burunciuc has extensive experience leading policy dialogue with Governments on various aspects of development. Before joining the Bank, she was a Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova and holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from George Washington University and a degree in Economics, Management, and Planning from the Technical University of Moldova.
As the new Country Director for the Caribbean, Burunciuc will lead the implementation of the World Bank’s programme, which includes an active portfolio of 75 projects worth US$2.7 billion in 13 countries, financed by the International Development Association (IDA), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and various trust funds.
The World Bank’s programme focuses on building cross-cutting resilience, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, human capital development, fiscal sustainability, digital transformation, financial protection, disaster risk management, agriculture, and the blue economy. The World Bank is also providing a wide range of analytical and advisory services in the Region.