The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has announced her intention to appoint Zeine Zeidane as Director of the Fund’s African Department, marking a key leadership transition at a time of growing economic challenges across sub-Saharan Africa.
Zeidane is set to succeed Abebe Aemro Selassie, who will retire from the IMF on May 1, 2026, after a distinguished tenure overseeing the institution’s engagement with African economies.
In a statement, Georgieva said she had informed the IMF Executive Board of her decision, expressing confidence in Zeidane’s ability to steer the department through an increasingly complex economic landscape.
“I have informed the Executive Board of my intention to appoint Mr. Zeine Zeidane as the Director of the African Department,” she said.
“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 national of Mauritania, Zeidane brings more than two decades of experience in macroeconomic policymaking and international economic cooperation.
He currently serves as Deputy Director in the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, where he oversees the Fund’s engagement with major Gulf economies and has played a role in strengthening strategic partnerships across the region.
His recent work includes supporting the establishment of the IMF Regional Office in Riyadh in 2024, an initiative aimed at enhancing the Fund’s presence and collaboration with key partners in the Middle East.
Zeidane is no stranger to the African Department, having previously served as Deputy Director within the same division. During that time, he was closely involved in some of the IMF’s most significant and complex operations in Africa.
He also contributed to reforms designed to better align the Fund’s policies with the needs of sub-Saharan African countries, including changes to concessional lending frameworks and the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
His experience extends to the IMF’s Strategy, Policy, and Review Department, where he led work on the institution’s 2018 Governance Policy, helping to strengthen transparency and accountability in member countries.
Before joining the IMF in 2012, Zeidane held several senior roles in Mauritania’s government.
He served as Prime Minister, Governor of the Central Bank, and Economic Advisor to the President, gaining firsthand experience in economic management and public policy.
His career also includes positions at the World Bank and in the commercial banking sector, providing him with a broad perspective on global and domestic economic systems.
Georgieva highlighted Zeidane’s leadership style as a key asset.
“Zeine’s calm and measured approach has proven especially effective in addressing difficult and sensitive challenges,” she said.
“I am confident that he will successfully lead AFR with a shared sense of purpose in advancing its mandate and serving our membership.”
Zeidane holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a postgraduate degree in Macroeconomics from the University of Nice.
His appointment comes as the IMF continues to deepen its engagement in Africa, where countries face mounting pressures from debt vulnerabilities, climate shocks, and evolving global financial conditions.
