World Bank to continue assisting Pakistan, says country director

WASHINGTON(Staff Report) - The World Bank’s new Country Director Patchamuthu Illangovan has said that the bank will continue supporting Pakistan in several areas, including the energy sector, and in enhancing opportunities for women and youth.

Mr Illangovan (Illango) joins the Islamabad office from Thursday. He succeeds Rachid Benmessaoud, who completes his term on Sept 30, according to a bank statement.

“I am delighted to be in Pakistan,” said the director. “We have a long-standing partnership that has benefited millions of people over generations.

Together with my team, I look forward to deepening our engagement with government, local institutions, civil society, private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders to further boost shared prosperity and reduce poverty in the country.”

The director said that the bank would continue supporting Pakistan in several areas, including transforming the energy sector; supporting private sector led growth; inclusion of the under-served, neglected and poor; and improved service delivery; and at the same time enhance opportunities for women and youth, advance regional integration efforts and address climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

Mr Illangovan, a Sri-Lankan national, counts over three decades of international development experience.

He joined the World Bank in 1993 and has since served in many positions, including leadership roles in Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia regions of the World Bank.

He has also held managerial responsibilities in the Bank’s country offices in Bangkok, Vientiane and Kabul.

He has managed programnes and projects in many middle and low income countries, including leading teams that have delivered complex and innovative solutions to Bank’s clients in water, environment, natural resources, energy and urban sectors.

Mr Illangovan has an extensive experience in overseeing the implementation of portfolios in challenging country environments.

Prior to joining the Bank, he worked in the public and private sectors in Sri Lanka.