Lilia Burunciuc is the new World Bank Country Director for Caribbean countries, effective Thursday, July 1.

The World Bank, in a statement Burunciuc said will be based in Kingston, Jamaica.   

Burunciuc brings a wide range of development experience to her new position. A Moldovan national, 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. 

“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,” said Lilia Burunciuc.“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 (Moldova’s central bank). 

She 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 program 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.