Dr. Larose, who arrives in Freetown on Friday August 12, will reiterate the Bank’s strong support to the post-Ebola Recovery efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone and identify strategic areas for further enhanced support, especially in the context of the new three-year cycle of support – IDA 18. He will be meeting with the authorities to discuss and better understand Sierra Leone’s development efforts, challenges and potentials for accelerated recovery and the country’s relations with the World Bank.
The World Bank Group’s project portfolio and support to Sierra Leone is currently at a record level in excess of US$670 million. This includes the World Bank, IFC and MIGA. IDA 18 will provide significant additional funding for supporting the recovery and development efforts of Sierra Leone. For the new program, the World Bank is currently in the process of drawing up a new Country Partnership Framework that will guide the grant and lending activities for the period FY18 to FY21.
During his stay in Freetown Dr. Larose will be meeting with Cabinet Ministers, government officials, key stakeholders and development partners. He is expected to call on His Excellency the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
Dr. Louis Rene Peter Larose is a national of the Republic of Seychelles with a wealth of national and international experience in banking, finance, economic and development management, among others. Prior to his appointment with the World Bank Group, Dr. Larose was Director for Foreign Exchange Operations at the Central Bank of Seychelles. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Ph.D. in Commercial Banking (specializing in International Business) from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Dr. Larose is a member of the Human Resources Committee and the Committee on Development Effectiveness on the Executive Boards of the World Bank Group. In his capacity as Executive Director, he plays a dual role of (i) serving the interest of the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone to ensure that the country benefits fully from the services and resources of the World Bank Group; and (ii) providing fiduciary oversight on the senior management of the World Bank Group to ensure effective implementation of development policies and strategies of its respective institutions.
During the course of his visit, Dr. Larose will take a tour to some of the projects financed by the Bank to appraise himself of developments with those projects. He departs Freetown for Washington D.C. on Wednesday August 17.
