The African Development Bank (AfDB) is the primary financial development institution of Africa. Zeinab was nominated as Vice President Sector Operations (OSVP) on 1 July 2006.
The Sector Operations portfolio includes several departments, and Zeinab is responsible for overseeing the Agriculture and Agro Industry, Human Development, and Governance, Economic and Financial Reforms Departments. In recent years, AfDB operations have adapted to a renewed focus on poverty reduction. Currently, the focus on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has concentrated projects on poverty reduction strategies. “Despite many achievements, prompted by the PRSPS, several challenges remain. A lot remains to be done in identifying the sources of pro-poor growth and the development of effective public actions and policies favorable to the achievement of such growth,” explained Zeinab. She added, “To this end, analytical tools that would enable us to evaluate the growth prospects in a credible and operationally-relevant manner need to be developed further.”
A key element of Zeinab’s work is to direct income to fight poverty in the continent. The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a key element of this. The EITI seeks to enable mineral rich African countries to derive greater benefits from oil, gas, mineral and other natural resources by publicly disclosing revenues, rejecting corruption and using their proceeds for development. Zeinab explained, “There is an important role for revenues generated from oil and gas and other extractive industries in public financing of economic and social development programs. Opportunities for many resource-rich countries in Africa lie in the fact that more and more investors are interested in extractive industries, but which present challenges with regard to the management of revenues, ensuring accountability and avoiding corruption on the one hand, while promoting sustainable development.” The AfDB endorsed the EITI in October 2006, as it conforms to the Bank Group’s policy on Good Governance. It was approved in November 1999, which is aimed at supporting good governance practices in its member countries.
Zeinab gained her Bachelor?s Degree in Sociology and Master?s Degree in Sociology and Anthropology from the American University in Cairo, Egypt. She also has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Hull, United Kingdom, in 1981. Zeinab joined the AfDB in 1991 as Senior Women in Development Coordinator, and has also served as Vice President- North, South and East Operations, Director - Social Development, Acting Director- Social Development, Division Manager - Human Resources Division, and North Region Principal. Prior to working with the AfDB, she worked as Manager of the Women in Development Program at the University of Khartoum, Sudan, Consultant for several UN agencies and international NGOs, Senior Lecturer at the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and Research Assistant at the American University in Cairo.
