The World Bank yesterday announced the appointment of Johannes Zutt as the Country Director for the East African Region which includes Rwanda, Kenya, Comoros, Eritrea, Seychelles and Somalia.

Zutt a Dutch national, joined the World Bank in August 2000, where he has held various positions in the Africa department, the East Asia department, the office of the Managing Director, and most recently the Integrity Department. 

According to the World Bank hierarchy, Country Managers stationed in each of the countries report to the Country Director.

During his term of office, he will oversee different projects in Rwanda financed by the World Bank, including the recently approved $24m Regional Communication Infrastructure Programme (RCIP), Phase II and the Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP II) to boost agricultural development for the 2009-2012 fiscal years.

Zutt who replaces Colin Bruce, is said to have experience in Africa, having served as the country programme coordinator for Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. He has also been the Bank’s country programme coordinator for China and Mongolia.

According to Rogers Kayihura, the Communications Manager of the World Bank, Rwanda Office, Zutt, like all World Bank Country Director will be based in Nairobi, Kenya from where he oversees WB country offices of the six countries in his designated region.

Prior to joining the World Bank, Zutt was involved in programme planning, monitoring and evaluation in various countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. 

Zutt’s top priority in the countries under his responsibility will be to strengthen the Bank’s cooperation, with a view of accelerating and sustaining poverty reduction.

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