Egyptian Rania Al-Mashat has been appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), according to a statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday, April 20. ESCWA is a regional United Nations body that supports economic and social development in countries of West Asia, working on issues ranging from economic policy to sustainable development. Al-Mashat will succeed Kuwaiti Rula Dashti, while Murad Wahba will continue to work as acting executive secretary until she officially assumes this position. Al-Mashat has more than two decades of experience in economic policy, international cooperation and development finance. She previously served as Minister of International Cooperation in Egypt, and has held other ministerial positions, including Tourism, Planning and Economic Development. Before assuming government positions, she worked at the Central Bank of Egypt, where she contributed to the development of monetary policy, and held positions at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Her experience spans areas including economic reform, climate finance, and international development, with involvement in numerous global financial institutions and development organizations. …
