Lilia Burunciuc, the new World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean has said that economically, Caribbean small states dependent on tourism have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burunciuc, whose appointment was effective yesterday, said she will be continuing and deepening the bank’s strong partnership with region to increase resilience and address the most pressing development challenges.
In a statement, the bank said Burunciuc brings a wide range of development experience and will be based in Kingston, Jamaica.
“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 added.
A Moldovan national, Burunciuc 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.
The bank said 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 (Moldova’s central bank).
Burunciuc holds a Master’s of Public Administration from George Washington University and a degree (master’s level) 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 bank is also providing a wide range of analytical and advisory services in the region.