By Jean-Pierre A.
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announced on Friday 4 April, her intention to appoint Mr. Zeine Zeidane as Director of the African Department (AFR).
Mr. Zeidane will succeed Abebe Aemro Selassie, who will retire from the Fund on May 1, 2026. The new director will oversee the implementation of IMF policies and the fund’s relations with Africa, to support the continent’s financial and economic stability amid the rising debt.
“I have informed the Executive Board of my intention to appoint Mr. Zeine Zeidane as the Director of the African Department,” said Ms. Georgieva. “Zeine will bring deep institutional knowledge, sound judgment, and strong policymaking experience to the department as it continues to respond to sub-Saharan Africa’s growing demands for tailored policy advice, financing, and capacity development.”
A Mauritanian national, Mr. Zeidane has over two decades of experience in macroeconomic policymaking and international economic cooperation. He currently serves as Deputy Director in the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD), overseeing the Fund’s engagement with major economies in the Gulf region and helping to deepen strategic partnerships with key regional partners, including through the establishment of the IMF Regional Office in Riyadh in 2024.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Zeidane served in AFR as a Deputy Director, where he was closely involved in some of the largest and most complex engagements in the region. He also played a central role in shaping Fund policies to better meet the needs of sub-Saharan Africa, notably through reforms to concessional lending policies and the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) during the pandemic. Drawing on his ability to link country experience with institutional priorities, Mr. Zeidane previously led work on the 2018 Governance Policy during his time in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR).
Before joining the IMF in 2012, Mr. Zeidane held several of the most senior economic policymaking positions in Mauritania, including serving as Prime Minister, Governor of the Central Bank, and Economic Advisor to the President. This experience was complemented by roles with the World Bank and in the commercial banking sector, giving him a well-rounded perspective on policy design, implementation, and engagement with international partners.
“Zeine’s calm and measured approach has proven especially effective in addressing difficult and sensitive challenges,” added Ms. Georgieva. “I am confident that he will successfully lead AFR with a shared sense of purpose in advancing its mandate and serving our membership.”
Mr. Zeidane holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a postgraduate degree in Macroeconomics from the University of Nice.
