Carolyn Turk has been appointed as the new World Bank Country Director for Vietnam from July 1, 2020 and will be based in Hanoi, the bank has said in a statement.

 Carolyn Turk (l) has been appointed as the new World Bank Country Director for Vietnam.

Turk, a United Kingdom national, joined the World Bank in 1998. She has since held various positions, including Senior Poverty Specialist based in Vietnam, Senior Social Development Specialist and Lead Social Development Specialist in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region, and Country Manager for Rwanda. Her most recent assignment was as the World Bank Country Director for Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan and Eritrea.

Prior to joining the World Bank, Turk worked with the UK Department for International Development. She holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Economics from the University of Cambridge, and has authored numerous publications on poverty and inequality, including a book based on research into gender inequality in 20 countries.

Turk will provide the leadership needed to further strengthen World Bank’s financing and knowledge engagements with Vietnam, including at the sub-national level, so that Vietnam can achieve the ambitious yet achievable goal of being a high-income country by 2045.

As of June 30, 2020, the World Bank has provided US$24.86 billion in grants, credits and loans to Vietnam to support the country’s development agenda, with an active portfolio of 38 projects valued at US$7.4 billion.

Over the past six months, the World Bank has committed US$516.67 million for Vietnam’s development through projects covering transport, urban development, higher education, and climate change and green growth.

The World Bank’s analytic and advisory program in Vietnam has provided strategic, cutting edge and timely knowledge and advice to support the country’s development agenda, ranging from the most recent series of Covid-19 response policy notes, to inputs into the country’s upcoming 10-year development strategy and 5-year development plan.