The World Bank Group has appointed Aissatou Diallo as Country Manager for Sierra Leone. In this role, she will lead the institution’s engagement with the government, development partners, and other stakeholders and oversee the implementation of the country program. Based in Freetown, Diallo will lead the World Bank Group’s strategic engagement in Sierra Leone and manage a portfolio worth nearly $1.2 billion.
A Guinean national, Diallo has nearly three decades of development finance experience and has spent over two decades at the World Bank Group, where he joined in 2002. Throughout her career, she has held a range of operational and leadership roles, including country leadership, portfolio oversight, policy dialogue, fiduciary assurance, and partner engagement. She has wide experience of working in fragile and conflict-affected areas across Africa and beyond.
Diallo has been the Resident Representative of Gabon for close to four years. She was also Resident Representative in Equatorial Guinea, from October 2022 to June 30, 2025. These appointments show our continued focus on country-level leadership and delivery, even in challenging circumstances.
In accepting her new responsibilities in Sierra Leone, Diallo said, “I am deeply honoured to serve as the World Bank Group’s Country Manager for Sierra Leone and look forward to deepening our engagement in the country.” She said she believed in the resilience and ingenuity of communities and wanted to work closely with the Government, development partners, civil society, the private sector and citizens across the country to expand opportunities that create jobs, strengthen human capital, build resilience and improve lives for all Sierra Leoneans.
Sierra Leone has a long history of development partnerships with the World Bank Group that have supported investments and reforms in sectors including human capital, agriculture, energy, water, social protection, governance, digital development, and private sector growth. As Country Manager, Diallo will oversee the implementation of the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework in Sierra Leone, which aims to promote inclusive economic growth, strengthen human capital, build resilience, create more jobs, and attract private-sector investment.
