Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announced her intention to appoint Zeine Zeidane as Director of the Africa Department. Zeidane will succeed Abebe Aemro Selassie, who is set to retire from the IMF on May 1, 2026, according to a statement from the institution.
“I have informed the Executive Board of my intention to appoint Mr. Zeine Zeidane as Director of the Africa Department,” Georgieva said. “Zeidane will bring his deep knowledge of the institution, sound judgment, and extensive policy experience to the Africa Department, which continues to respond to the growing demand from sub-Saharan countries for strategic advice, financing, and tailored capacity development,” the IMF statement added.
A Mauritanian national, Zeidane has over twenty years of experience in macroeconomic policy formulation and international economic cooperation. He currently serves as Deputy Director in the Middle East and Central Asia Department (MCD), where he oversees IMF relations with key Gulf countries and helps strengthen strategic partnerships with major regional actors, notably through the opening of the IMF’s regional office in Riyadh in 2024.
Previously, Zeidane served as Deputy Director of the Africa Department, where he played a central role in some of the region’s most significant and complex collaborations. He also contributed to shaping IMF policies to better address the needs of sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the context of concessional lending reforms and the ARC Disaster Assistance and Response Trust Fund during the pandemic. Combining national experience with institutional priorities, Zeidane also led the 2018 governance policy work during his previous tenure in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (SPR).
Before joining the IMF in 2012, he held several top-level positions in Mauritania, including Prime Minister, Governor of the Central Bank, and Economic Advisor to the President. His career also includes roles at the World Bank and in the commercial banking sector, giving him a global perspective on policy design and implementation, as well as collaboration with international partners.
“Zeine’s calm and measured approach has proven particularly effective in resolving difficult and sensitive issues,” Georgieva added. “I am confident that he will successfully lead the Africa Department with conviction and a spirit of collaboration, advancing the department’s mission and serving our member countries.”
Zeidane holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and a postgraduate degree in Macroeconomics from the University of Nice.
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